






m 



' s 



'k^<' ■<):■■■ 



iH 




Class jLK-liA/. 
BookJL5ASj._ 
CoEyriglrtN" _._._ 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



STRAY POEMS 



EARLY HISTOKT 



OF THE 



Albany and Susquehanna 



RAILROAD 



H. T. DANA 



YORK, PA. 

p. ANSTAUT At SONS 

lOO.'l 



.^•^ 






THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copies Received 

MAY 28 1903 

Cepyright Entry 

\v^(^ V ' ^ ^ ^ 

CLASS'^ CL- XXo. N«. 

S"^ ^ ^ / 
copy a. 



COPYRIGHT BY 

H. T. DANA 

1903 



Dedication 

To my wife, without whose patient care in the pres- 
ervation of these poems, I would have been unable 
to compile the work, this book is affectionately 
DE;DiCAT:eD. 

That it may confer some pleasure upon those who 
purchase it, is the wish of 

The Authur. 
C0BI.ESKII.L, N. Y., January 4th, 1903. 



Preface 



To My Readers: 

In presenting this book to you I desire 
to say that I am conscious of its defects, yet I trust it 
is not devoid of merit. 

Whilst not a work of superior excellence, I believe 
the poems are not inferior to the average of such pio- 
ductions, and to express only elevating sentiments. 

The appendix contains a brief history of the Albany 
ard Susquehanna Railroad, and its early trials and 
struggles, which has been carefully compiled by the 
author. To the local reader, this alone will be found 
to be worth the cost of this book. 

To my friends who by their subscriptions greatly 
encouraged me in getting out the work, I return my 
sincere thanks, and with heartfelt good wishes remain 

Their Friend, 

H. T. Dana. 



Contents 



The Present Age, - - - - - - 9 

A Christmas Poem, . _ . . - 28 

Golden Wedding Lines, - - - - - 34 

Broken Links, ------ 39 

Sabbath School Room Re-dedicatioD, - - - 42 

The Rumseller's Vision, _ . - . 48 

A Wreck on the Road, - - - - - 54 

Above the Rapids, - - - - - 56 

Lines on the Death of President McKinley, - - 60 

Passing Away, ------ 62 

The Land of the West, - . . - - 65 

Resurrection, ------ 67 

The Love of Life, ------ 70 

The Brotherhood of Man, - - . - 72 

The Beautiful, - - - - - - 76 

Railroad Reminiscences, - - - - - 79 

The Country Railroad Agent'^ Trials, - - - 83 

An Acrostic, - - - - - - 88 

Greenwood Cemetery, - - - - - 89 

Be Cheerful, ------ 94 

The Charm That Bids Me Stay, - - - - 98 

Thy Own Right Hand, - - - - - 102 

The Farmer's Prayer, ----- 106 

Thanksgiving, - - - - - - loS 



Vlll. CONTENTS. 

Ivines in Favor of Building the Albany and Susquehanna 

Railroad, - - - - - - iii 

Today and Tomorrow, - - - - - 115 

What the Stars of Our Flag Tell Us, - - - 119 

The New Year, ---... 122 

An Appeal for Freedom, - - - - - 128 

Responsiveness, - - - - - - 131 

Klondike's Gold, - - - - - - I35 

The Storm at St. Louis, - - - - - 140 

The Political Situation, - - - - - 145 

Retrospect, __---. 149 

F'reedom's Spirit, ------ 153 

Labor, - - - - - - - 155 

Discernment, ------- 158 

The Coming of the Cars, ----- 161 

Our Christmas Story, - - - - - 163 

Dedication Poem, ------ 169 

Lines to a Friend on Her Departure for California in 1855 173 

The Waves of Time, ----- 177 

An Acrostic - - - - - -,-183 

A Knight of Labor - - - -. - 184 

The Hop Grower's Song, - * - - - - 185 

Our Country, ------ 189 

The Changing of the Seasons, - - . . 194 

Children's Day, - - - - - - 197 

Where's the Spirit, ------ 201 

Our Loved Ones' Graves, - - . - 206 

Early History of the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad, 208 



Tile Present ^gc 

'Tis very seldom that I raise 

My voice to gain or lose the praise 

Of those whose life has led them o'er 

The path which leads to solid lore; 

And now perchance I'm out of place, 

And take a stand I poorly grace, 

When I would gain the reader's ear, 

And write what wiser men will hear: 

More fitting far for me to wield 

The scythe and spade in some rough field, 

Or guide the plough with steady hand, 

In furrows deep across the land; 

For at such work I've spent my time, 

Not writing books or making rhyme; 

Yet still I feel a little power 

Come forth to help me in this hour. 

And like a bird which cannot fly, 

I'm not resigned but still must try. 



lO THE PRESEKT age. 

The theme I bring upon the stage 

Is this important, present age — 

This present age — a noble theme, 

Fit for the poet's pen, I ween; 

Behold how science soars on high 

To yonder blue expansive sky, 

And by its penetrating light 

Brings forth new orbs to mortal sight; 

See, now the comets as they roll 

Throughout the sky, from pole to pole, 

And tread with lightning speed their round 

Where other worlds may yet be found. 

Are understood — their movements timed, 

And every part is well defined; 

The sun and moon, each twinkling star 

That glimmers in those realms afar, 

Yield up their secrets to the power 

Which science sways this present hour; 

The glorious truths the ancients sought 

For ages, and were yet untaught, 

Are now to men of lore revealed, 



THE PRESENT AGE. 1 1 

And to the masses are unsealed, 
'Till now on wings which learning lends, 
Man soars away where space extends. 
And with a keen researching eye, 
Reads out the mysteries of the sky; 
Sees how the planets in their spheres 
Roll on and on through countless years — 
Notes every change which they display, 
And treads along the milky way. 
And as we leave the azure skies, 
And turn to earth our eager eyes, 
What wondrous scenes this age displays 
To please our minds, and charm our gaze; 
Now, far beneath the ocean's waves, 
Where thousands find their lonely graves, 
The sky-born lightning threads its way 
To carry news from day to day; 
Though Franklin caught it from the cloud. 
Where thunder tones were pealing loud, 
'Twas left for Morse himself to teach. 
And make it write each part of speech ; 



1 2 . THE PRESENT AGE. 

And now, although with flashes bright, 
It stamps the clouds with lurid light. 
When storm capped clouds in wrath appear 
And heaven's artillery strikes the ear, 
Yet men its powers with safety use, 
And send it wheresoe'er they choose; 
'Till now on land and neath the seas, 
It goes the will of man to please. 
And on its blazing wings conveys 
The tidings of these mighty days; 
Now with its thin and fleeting breath 
It breathes the word of sudden death — 
Now o'er the telegraphic wires 
It bears some soul's heartfelt desires — 
Now, in its tones we hear the voice 
Of him who is the nation's choice. 
And word of armies, thrones and kings 
Along its lines it quickly brings. 
While answering thoughts along its track 
With lightning speed are hurried back, 
'Till all the lands at last are one, 



THE PRESENT AGE. 1 3 

And time and space are both outdone. 
And*yet more wonders meet the eye, 
Which with the telegraph will vie: 
The diving bell, these latter days 
Bring forth to claim our earnest praise; 
And now beneath the foaming waves 
Mid ocean sands, and ocean caves, 
Man walks in safety on the deck 
Of some ill fated, sunken wreck, 
Sees what the work of death has done. 
Where rich and poor alike are one, 
And then secures some golden prize 
With which he can in safety rise. 
Of all machines, the present day 
Brings forth a useful, grand array. 
The speedy reaper, jvith a power 
That cuts an acre in an hour, 
Has now usurped the place of scythes, 
Which we have handled half our lives; 
And threshers now with power sublime. 
Shell out our grain in little time, 



14 THE PRESENT AGE. 

Whilst on some old and rusty nail, 

Has long been hung the well worn flail; 

Instead of weaving now by hand, 

We have an agent strong and grand. 

By which the loom we can propel. 

And make it weave both fast and well; 

And spinning, too, is done by steam; 

This is the agent which I mean; 

Why, now where'er a river lies, 

A steamboat sweeps before our eyes; 

High roll the waves upon its sides. 

As swiftly on its course it glides. 

And bears unto some distant mart 

The earth's produce and works of art; 

Throughout the world their use is known, 

And men their power confess and own; 

Behold they tread where balmy skies 

And placid lakes attract our eyes. 

Or brave the storms that yearly sweep 

With fury o'er the rolling deep — 

Ply round and round the British Isle, 



THE PRESENT AGE. I 5 

And wake the echoes long the Nile; 
Seek every port in every zone, 
Where men are wise and art is known. 
And yet the works of man display 
Still greater things in this, our day. 
The locomotive next we'll view, 
And see what praise to it is due; 
See, where rolls Atlantic's tide, 
It curls its steam and puffs with pride. 
And leaving thence our eastern strand, 
Comes thundering westward o'er our land; 
Climbs up the bold Sieria's steep, 
Where wintry winds with fury sweep, 
Then strides away in regal state, 
To reach Francisco's golden gate. 
And bears the tide of progress on. 
Far westward toward the setting sun; 
'Till now, where late the beasts of prey 
Were rulers of both night and day. 
Some thriving village meets our eyes. 
Which to a city soon will rise. 



1 6 THE PRESENT AGE. 

Our prairies once so lone and wild , 

Where lately roamed the indian child, 

Are now made vocal with the sound 

Of men who till the fertile ground, 

And by the engine's aid today, 

Send forth their produce far away, 

Where commerce rears its busy mart, 

To be exchanged for works of art; 

Ah yes ! the engine truly sways 

A country's fate these active days; 

And now the tracks o'er which, they fly, 

On every side salute the eye. 

Behold where France in beauty smiles, 

Or Britain rules her busy isles, 

Or where the Czar his power maintains, 

Or where the Pope in splendor reigns, 

Are railroads laid, and o'er each course 

Comes thundering on the iron horse; 

Whilst here in our progressive land 

They reach out now from strand to strand; 

Their lines are drawn throughout the west, 



THE PRESENT AGE. 1 7 

Across the prairie's fertile breast, 

And o'er New England's hills they go, 

And traverse lands both high and low; 

They span our rivers — cross our plains, 

Where frost and snow or summer reigns, 

'Till by their vast extending round. 

States unto states are firmly bound; 

And O, to see an engine fly, 

With powers which with the earthquake vie. 

And see it sweep along the track 

As though its speed would never slack; 

And hear the wild, resounding scream 

It echoes forth by aid of steam, 

Is startling, grand, in truth sublime, 

A marvel of this wondrous time. 

So, too, the printing press I claim. 

Belongs upon the scroll of fame; 

Now sheet on sheet, and ream on ream 

Are printed by the power of steam ; 

The thoughts which spring fiom out the brain 

Are stamped in letters bright and plain, 



1 8 THE PRESENT AGE. 

And when the press once gives them birth 
They soon are known through all the earth. 
And thus the printing press and pen 
Reign o'er the hearts and minds of men, 
And form the lever which can shake 
The citadels, which errors make. 
The futile doctrines of the past 
Are brought to yield to truth at last, 
And learning now moves on apace, 
I/ike some swift courser on a race. 
The news of far off, foreign lands 
Is now presented to our hands, 
And all who have the will to read, 
Can their own minds with knowledge feed. 
The Bible — precious word of truth! 
Sweet counsellor of age or youth, 
Is now in many tongues portrayed, 
And to the heathen is displayed; 
And thus we see the press proclaim 
Salvation in a Savior's name. 
But there are other things to view, 



THE PRESENT AGE. 1 9 

Which claim a passing tribute too: 
Behold where wild Niagara roars, 
And down the rocks its water pours, 
Are bridges built, and crossing o'er 
Its foaming surf from shore to shore. 
Nature's realm has been outdone, 
And art a lasting victory won. 
And Suez now no more divides 
TheRed Sea and European tides; 
Its sands are moved, and in their stead 
The oceans now their waters spread. 
And on their bosom is unfurled 
The commerce of this busy world : 
Arabia, Persia, Hindoostan, 
Borneo, China, and Siam; 
Now in the lap of nations pour 
The products of their sunny shore. 
No longer now need English sails 
Be rent in twain by torrid gales 
When rounding Africa's stormy coast, 
Or dashed upon its cape and lost; 



20 THE PRESENT AGE. 

For with the power this era wields 
We drive our ships across the fields — 
Map out new tracks around the earth, 
And give gigantic projects birth. 
And ere ten years their race have run, 
And sets their last departing sun. 
The neck of land which lies between • 
The two Americas, I ween, 
Will be removed, and through the gate 
The oceans rush at rapid rate; 
Atlantic claim, with manly pride, 
The mild Pacific for a bride; 
And thus united, onward flow, 
Whilst countless seasons come and go; 
A watery highway thus we'll boast, 
Between our east and western coast. 
Hail, happy marriage of East and West, 
And be thy union doubly blest. 
But let us leave this busy theme 
For one where peace and love are seen: 
Behold religion — priceless gem. 



THE PRESENT AGE. 21 

Exerts its power o'er many men, 
And with a strength born from above 
It surely on its course must move. 
The gospel now is sent abroad 
To teach men of their sovereign God; 
Till now where Africa's deserts lie 
Or India glows 'neath summer sky, 
Or North where ice and snow abound, 
The messengers of Christ are foundj 
And thus they labor, trust and pray, 
And hasten on Millenium's day. 
Of all the ills with which we're cursed 
Intemperance is by far the worst; 
Ah, yes, my friends, how many minds, 
Within whose power true genius shines. 
Upon rum's waves are tempest tossed 
Till wrecked — and then forever lost! 
How many men have lived and died, 
And done but little else beside. 
Who might have filled with fitting grace 
The hero's or the statesman's place, 



22 THE PRESENT AGE. 

Had rum not lured them far away 
Where deep disgrace and dangers lay. 
As clouds o'ercast the jeweled sky, 
And hide its beauties from our eye, 
Till all its gems, so pure and bright. 
Are veiled and hidden from our sight; 
So rum, with all its powers combined 
Draws forth its curtain o'er the mind, 
Till soon we see its lustrous ray 
Grow less and less, then fade away. 
And darkness gather round the throne, 
Where love of fame and learning shone. 
With its sharp fangs and serpent tooth 
It stings and bites the blooming youth. 
And 'neath its crushing, iron wheel 
The greatest men and minds must kneel. 
So, too, with nations, o'er their fame 
This curse erects its cloud of shame; 
Till now, through all the world around 
Are drunken men and youths, too, found. 
We see them reeling from the doors. 



THE PRESENT AGE. 23 

Where rum its tempting current pours, 
And hear their curses, loud and long. 
Commingled with some ribald song, 
Break on the air almost each day, 
That rolls life's fleeting hours away; 
Till parents now must daily see, 
Their fondest hopes forever flee; 
And feel the woes, that rum imparts 
Bind fast their shadows on their hearts. 
Sisters o'er brothers lost must mourn. 
With grief that scarcely can be borne; 
And every social tie which binds 
In blissful union human minds, 
Must fall asunder 'neath the power 
That liquor sways this present hour. 
O what an untold flood of tears — 
Of soul-felt sighs, and aching fears, 
This fiend of death and deep dismay 
Wrings out from those who feel its sway. 
Could all their groans in concert rise 
The wail would echo 'long the skies! 



24 THE PRESENT AGE. 

Could all the stricken forms appear, 
That rum has laid upon the bier, . 
How vast an army we would see 
Clothed in the garb of misery ! 
O what a frightful, horrid close 
To earthly cares and earthly woes ! 

what a death, Great God, I crave 
A bettei* life — a brighter grave. 

Of ** strikes" alas, what shall I say ? 
They come quite oft in this our day; 
lyabor and cash with hand in hand 
No longer walk in this fair land. 
Are either right, or both in wrong ? 
Shall be the burden of my song; 

1 think the gulf which now divides 
These forces, truly has two sides; 
Mercy and justice — honest pay 

For work well done from day to day — 
Are workmen's due — a rightful claim. 
And none should e'er withold the same: 
But lo, behold in various ways 



THE PRESENT AGE. 25 

The working men in these late days, 

Assume to order who shall be 

Employed — are we then free, 

Or slaves unto some tyrant band, 

Whose cabal fain would rule our land ? 

Out with such claims — let it be said, 

That every man who'll work for bread. 

Is free to do so — and no clan 

Shall intercept, or harm the man. 

But from all fear and menace freed, 

Go to his work, a king indeed! 

Some men say the*right to " shirk," 

Is equal with the right to work. 

Not so — to labor is God's plan — 

His edict given to every man; 

Here duty points and leads the way. 

Here all is clear and light as day; 

We owe it to our homes and state 

That we should work and make them great. 

No duty waits on idle hours, 

Man's duty is to use his powers — 



26 THE PRESENT AGE. 

Build up his home — protect his brood- — 
Relieve their wants — provide their food; 
And thus with loyal hand and heart, 
In life's great play act well his part. 
Of war we have enough at least, 
And may it never be increased; 
Behold the turf on sacred tombs, 
Where still the fair magnolia blooms: 
At Gettysburg our thousands sleep. 
And loving spirits vigil keep 
Around the graves of martyrs slain. 
Throughout the South on every plain 
They died, that we might live to see 
Our union saved — our nation free. 
Hail! Men of noble thought and mien, 
No nobler band the world has seen. 
But let us turn with anxious gaze 
Where Cuba basks, 'neath Summer rays, 
Our hearts fill up with hopes and fears — 
Our eyes grow dull and dim with tears: 
Hopes that since the fearful fray 
With all its clouds has passed away. 



THE PRESENT AGE. 2/ 

Beneath her blue and balmy skies 
A nation, freed, will always rise; 
Fears, that again some despot hand 
May gain control and curse her land. 
Hail! Cuba free, in verdure dressed, 
Thrice welcome to thy mother's breast; 
We'll take thy hand, and bless our child, 
And strive to keep thee undefiled: 
This the tocsin — this the word 
We gave the world when first the sword 
We drew with all our might and main, 
To free thee from the rule of Spain. 
O Age, which seems to me the best — 
Outstripping far all of the rest. 
We style thee great — of fair renown, 
And crown thee with a laurel crown, 
'Though there are ills which slowly steal, 
And trespass on our country's weal; 
Great God! 'tis thlis I feebly pray, 
Drive all our nation's clouds away: 
Let wisdom, truth, and honor be 
The watchwords of the bold and free; 
Let temperance o'er the world preside, 
And virtue be the people's guide. 



A ftristmas Poen^ 



[Written for and read before the M. K. Church Sabbath School 
in Cobleskill, Dec. 25th, i88:^, byMRS. Ci^ii^ford France.] 

Let US stop for a moment, shut the present from gaze, 
And turn with our vision to the wonderful days. 
When angels all fresh from the portals of of glory, 
Were sent from the skies to tell the sweet story, 
That a child should be born, and a Savior be given, 
To bridge over the chasm 'twixt this world and heaven. 
Behold on the plains are the shepherds and sheep, 
And the stars in the sky their bright vigils keep, 
While the Jordan rolls on in that valley of old, 
Like the drift of a romance, which has often been told; 
When an angel from Heaven sweeps down on the scene. 
And the shepherds are frightened by the glory and 

gleam. 
Let us list to the song of that heavenly host 
Whose echo has swept on from coast unto coast. 
With a cadence of love and a rythm sublime, 
Which shall flow on forever 'long the arches of time: 

28 




When an angel from Heaven sweeps down on the scene, 
And the shepherds are frightened by the glory and gleam. 



30 A CHRISTMAS POEM. 

Peace on earth, and forever good will unto men 
Was the song of the seraphs, which burst on us then; 
And to-night let us all catch up the refrain, 
And echo it forth to the world once again; 
Peace on earth, and forever good will unto men. 
Be our motto through life; as the seraphs sang then. 
With the Magi let's follow the star of the East, 
Not to palace or castle — not banquet or feast, 
But away to the manger where the Savior once lay. 
Wrapped in coarse clothing, and pillowed on hay, 
And learn to be humble, and to never despise 
Some sister, or brother, wrapt in poverty's guise. 
I^et us go with that child to the home of his youth, 
lyearning lessons of duty, obedience and truth; 
And as Christ the dear Savior to his parents was true, 
Let me ask, my dear children, is it not proper that you 
Should strive to be truthful, obedient and mild. 
As Jesus our Savior was, when He was a child ? 
In fancy let's tread on the shores of Galilee, 
And note what we hear, and the sights which we see. 
See! the Storm King is raging, and the billows are 
tossed, 



A CHRISIMAS POEM. 3 1 

And the men in the boat cry aloud, " We are lost!" 
When the Master, arising, bids the wild winds to cease, 
And hushed is the storm, and lulled unto peace: 
See the multitude hungered, as they sit on the shore, 
And are taught by the Savior, as never before; 
Then the banquet of heaven is luxuriously spread, 
For the dear Savior blesses, and breaks up the bread, 
And the thousands who hungered are fully supplied. 
And fragments are gathered from the feast yet beside ! 
See, the lepers are cleansed — the deaf ones do hear. 
The blind again see the landscape so dear. 
The palsied grow strong — the lame ones do leap. 
And death now no longer its victims doth keep. 
For the Savior commands, and he bids them ' * come 

forth," 
Restored unto life, and to dwell on the earth. 

O turn the page where e'er we may, 

Of our sweet Christmas story, 
'Tis decked with rays of breaking day. 

And filled with love and glory; 
The world has been the brighter since, 




'O 



3 3 



^ .2 



^ O 



A CHRISTMAS POEM. 33 

At Bethlehem in the manger, 
In swaddling clothes, unlike a prince, 

There lay the heavenly stranger. 
And greater love, has well been said, 

Has no man for another 
Than. that he'll lay his own life down, 

And suffer for his brother. 
The manger bade the world rejoice — 

The cross brought tears and sorrows; 
But through the gloom a heavenly voice 

Bespoke a bright to-morrow; 
For Christ the Lord would rise again — 

His glory shine forever: 
His form be seen and known of men, 

His spirit bind their hearts together. 
And now, to-night, let's hail the day 

Which ushered in the glory. 
And bless the morn whose blissful ray 

Bedecks our Christmas story; 
Well may the earth's wide welkin ring. 

With loud and sweet hosannas; 
All glory to the lyord and King, 

Whose name is on our banners. 



Qoldei^ bedding Lines 

[Read at the 50th wedding anniversary of the Rev. D. P. 
Warner, by his sister, Mrs. Kate: Lbak, of Oakland, Cal.] 

Hail friends and greeting, I bid you good cheer 
In behalf of the friend who invited us here. 
How dear to our hearts, when the season is run, 
When the harvest is gathered and the hard work is 

done, 
Is Thanksgiving day, with its God given praise 
For the bounties of earth and the length of our days: 
But here, at this time whatever betides; 
We've a thanksgiving day, and a wedding besides. 
Yes, let us give thanks for the privilege today. 
Of meeting our friends in this pleasant way. 
And coming together in heart and in hand — 
A happy reunion of our family band. 
Though the springtime of youth with many has sped. 
And our hair is turned gray, yet love is not dead: 
For the love which is true is not for a day, 
But endureth forever, and knows no decay; 

34 



GOLDEN WEDDING LINES. 35 

And grows stronger and purer throughout all the years 
Which are filled up with bliss, or hallowed by tears. 
And now, my dear friends, if I must preside, 
I present to you all, my brother and bride; 
Fifty years, with their cycles and trials untold, 
O'er the highway of Time their measure have rolled, 
Since their love was first plighted, in honor and truth, « 
'Way back in the halcyon days of their youth; 
Yet we turn in our gaze to a newly-wed pair. 
Whose forms are yet straight, and features yet fair. 
From the depths of our hearts, without any alloy. 
We bid them good cheer — we wish them ** much joy;" 
And we pray that the Being who all blessing extends 
Will continue to guide and protect these dear friends. 
And to you, the dear children, and grand-children, too, 
I've but a word more, and then I am through: 
May the traits of these parents, their labor for right. 
Hereafter be constantly kept in your sight. 
As your guide and your mentor, wherever you go 
On your journey through life in the world here below; 
And when life with its trials has come to an end, 
And the days of this world with eternity blend, 



36 * GOLDEN WEDDING LINES. 

May you meet in the city, of which we are told, 
The Lamb is the light, and the streets are of gold; 
Where age is unknown, and the angels shall sing. 
And the air is surcharged with an evergreen Spring, 

[lyines written for the Golden Wedding Anniversary of John 

F. Briggs, Esq., of White Rock, South Dakota, and read 

January ist, 1898, by MiSS Mabei, BEESON.] 

We greet you, kind friends, we are glad you are here, 

Our hearts bid you welcome, to us you are dear. 

For friendship has grown with the flight of the years, 

And love becomes stronger through trials and tears. 

This life has its shadows which steal o'er the sun. 

And we all have our cares till the journey is done. 

And now as we turn and in memory gaze 

On the scenes of our youth and earlier days, 

We miss the dear forms of the loved ones of yore, 

Who crossed o'er the river and passed on before 

To that heaven of love and haven of rest, 

We all love to think of as the home of the blest. 

Sweet memory, linger — we ask thee to stay 

As one of the guests on this festal day. 



GOLDEN WEDDING LINES. 3/ 

Yet we turn to the living, and this is our prayer: 
May God bless our friends wherever they are. 
Hail comrade and bridegroom, with her by your side 
You chose in your youth as sweetheart and bride; 
lyong years have rolled by since the day you were wed, 
Yet the flowers of love are not withered and dead, 
But grow in your hearts, and are blooming as gay. 
As they did on the morn of your first wedding day. 
O the love of our youth, may its powers unfold; 
O the love of our manhood, may it never grow cold, 
But grow stronger, and purer, with trials and tears 
Which come to us all with the flow of the years. 
Fifty years with their cycles have rolled on their way. 
Fifty years — fifty years, yet we gather today 
To honor these friends, who then in their youth 
Clasped hands for this life, and plighted their truth. 
And now let us thank our Father above. 
Who has led us along by the hand of his love, 
And brought us together in health to extend 
Kind wishes and greeting to our mutual friend. 
Hail! husband of years; hail! bride of the past. 



38 GOLDEN WEDDING LINES. 

May your love aud happiness continue to last 

Through years yet to come — through days yet to be 

Whilst you're spared unto him and he unto thee; 

Hail! bride of today — and bridegroom anew, 

The love of our hearts says, *' Joy unto you." 

And may the Kind Ruler continue to guide, 

And over your home still watch and preside. 

Whilst the river of Time flows on to the sea. 

And this world to you as nothing shall be. 

Hail! children and friends, we bid you " good cheer," 

Our hearts give you welcome, we are glad you are here. 

Hail! memory sweet, of the loved ones of yore, 

Gome back unto us and bless us once more 

With the charm of thy presence, we ask thee to stay 

As the honored of guests at our table today. 



Broken Linl^s 



' Round our lives are tendrils vining 
lyike the woodbine 'round the tree; 

Kindred souls are intertwining 
Coils of love 'round you and me. 

Earthly ties we dread to sever, 
Earthly hopes are slow to die; 

And to loved ones we would never 
Say the sad farewell, " Good bye." 

But the links are 'round us breaking. 
And my heart is growing sore; 

Dearest friends their leave are taking, 
And return to us no more. 

Tried and true ones pass the portal. 
Earth grows dull and heaven bright; 

Earthly ties become immortal 

When our loved ones pass from sight. 



39 



40 BROKEN LINKS. 

As the earthly chain unclasping, 
lyets our dearest treasures fall, 

Are we more of heaven grasping ? 
Do we heed the warning call ? 

God of love and power abiding, 
lyead us toward the heavenly light; 

Over all our thoughts presiding, 
Guide our every footstep right. 

Day by day the links are breaking, 
Earthly friends are dying fast: 

But in Heaven a chain is making, 
Where the links shall ever last. 

Spirit hands the chain extending 
From the battlements on high. 

Angel voices sweetly blending. 
Beckon to us from the sky. 

O by faith's enraptured vision, 
May we see the gates ajar, 



BROKEN LINKS. 4 1 

And behold the fields elysian, 

Where our missing loved ones are. 

God in Heaven, the links all gather 

In unbroken chains above — 
There with Thee to dwell forever, 

Rescued by Thy wondrous love. 



8abbath School Room fe-dedication 

M. B. Church of Cobleskill 

Once more we come with willing feet 

Within this room we love, 
To join in praise and offerings meet 

To God in Heaven above. 
And as we backward turn our gaze 

To hours long passed away, 
How sweet and sacred seem the days — 

How transient seems their stay. 
Spring came and with it came the bees, 

The birds, the buds and flowers, 
The crimson sky, the leafy trees. 

The sunshine and the showers. 
The robin piped his sweetest note, 

The blue bird joined the tune; 
Soon, through the windows there did float 

The mellow air of June, 
To waft bird voices and our song 

42 




spring came and with it came the bees, 
The birds, the buds and flowers; 

The crimson sky, the leafy trees, 
The sunshine and the showers. 



44 SABBATH SCHOOL ROOM RE-DEDICATION. 

Where angel choirs unite 
To swell the praises loud and long, 

Through realms of endless light. 
Then rays of golden sunlight lay 

O'er meadow, farm and field, 
And kissed the flowers, and dried the hay. 

And made the harvests yield. 
And oft when gathered here as now, 

This summer glory came 
To warm each heart, to light each brow. 

And feed the feeble flame 
Of thankfulness to Him who spread 

His bounties all around; 
Who gave us life — who gives us bread, 

And homes with beauty crowned. 
Soon Autumn came unto us here. 

With train of royal brood; 
With purpled grape and ripened ear, 

And all we need for food. 
The maple glowed with burnished gold, 

The sumach seemed on fire, 



SABBATH SCHOOL ROOM RE-DEDICATION. 45 

And o'er the earth a charm unrolled 

To raise our thoughts up higher 
To Him who paints the autumn leaves 

With gold and crimson dyes, 
Till field and forest fairly breathe 

The beauty of the skies ; 
Then wintry winds which fiercely blow, 

O'er mountain, vale and plain, 
With silvery stars, and pearly snow, 

Came back to us again ; 
And then each white, unspotted field, 

A lesson to us taught. 
And to each mind I trust revealed 

This true, and sacred thought : 
As God is pure, so we should be 

Unspotted as the-snow, 
With hearts all clean, from sin kept free 

Whilst through the world we go ; 
And thus the years have rolled along 

Whilst we have gathered here, 
And joined in praise and sacred song 



46 SABBATH SCHOOL ROOM RE-DEDICATIOL. 

With those we hold most dear. 
No wonder, then, we love these walls — 

These benches long and wide. 
As men revere their school-day halls 

And speak of them with pride. 
But now, behold how great the change ! 

Old things have passed away — 
These rooms seem new, and passing strange, 

And beauteous here to-day ! 
A brighter color seems to rest 

On sides and ceiling too; 
And in their suits so neatly dressed. 

These rooms are fair to view. 
These frescoed walls — these burnished pews, 

These flowers fresh and fair, 
A gentle halo here diffuse 

Ivike sunlight on the air. 
Now, whilst we turn with thankful gaze 

To all these colors bright. 
May mind and heart ascend in praise 

To realms beyond our sight. 



SABBATH SCHOOL ROOM RE-DEDICATION. 4/ 

To Him who paints the whole of earth, 

And frescoes all the sky 
With dyes which show celestial birth, 

And jewels from on high. 
And as we gather here as now, 

Each sacred Sabbath day. 
With willing mind and solemn vow, 

To learn God's word and pray, 
As time rolls on and seasons bring 

Of winter and of fall — 
Of glorious summer, bursting spring. 

May each of them and all, 
Although we love what's good below. 

Yet draw our thoughts above, 
With earnest zeal and fervent glow, 

To Him whose name is love. 

Read by the author at the rededication of the 
M. B. Church Sabbath School room in Cobleskill. 



%e Kiin\seller's Vision 

O'er earth the veil of night had closed, 

With all its quiet power, 
And upright men in peace reposed 

Throughout each silent hour. 
To minds of pure and holy frames, 

Bright fancies came to bless, 
For conscience by its power proclaims 

To such a sweet caress. 
But on a couch there restless lay 

A man who sold the curse 
Which kills its victims day by day. 

And leaves their souls still worse. 
To him a vision too appeared, 

A dream of awful dread, 
For fancy, by its power upreared 

The ghosts of those long dead. 
First passed before his startled sight 

A little blue eyed child. 



48 



THE RUMSELLER S VISION. 49 

Arrayed in robes of purest white 

With looks as sweet and mild. 
" Sir," said the child, " did you but know 

How my young heart has bled, 
When in this wicked world below. 

Hot tears of woe I shed. 
And all because you gave my sire 

The" liquor that he craved, 
And fostered on his base desire. 

When he might yet been saved, 
I think you would no longer sell 

The cup which Satan fills, 
To lure his victims down to hell. 

And give to earth its ills." 
While yet she spoke another form 

Broke in upon his rest, 
The tears upon her cheeks still warm — 

A babe upon her breast. 
" See here," she cried, " thou monster foe. 

Thou stain upon mankind, 
You cause more anguish, pain and woe 



50 THE RUMSELLER's VISION. 

Than well can be defined. 
I had a husband once, whose soul 

Affection truly warmed, 
Till by your winning base control, 

He was in time transformed. 
The heart which beat in tune with mine, 

Grew pulseless, harsh and cold; 
The smile I dreaded to resign, 

At last he did withhold. 
Then O, the anguish that I felt — 

You see the tear drops now. 
You see the babe upon my breast — 

The furrows on my brow. 
But for the cups you daily fill, 

A life of bliss was ours; 
Myself and babe were living still, 

Had grief not crushed my powers.'' - 
And then another joined the band. 

Whose form was stooped and low; 
A staff he held within his hand — 

His step was weak and slow. 



THE RUMSELLER's VISION. 5 1 

And as he raised his whitened head, 

He spoke with earnest voice, 
" Monster, 'twas you to ruin led 

My son, alas ! my choice. 
He who I hoped would gently lead 

Me downward to the grave. 
Has only caused my heart to bleed, 

^oryou the poison gave. 
You dealt the damning drug, which killed 

All goodness in his soul, 
To him, in cups which still are filled 

By you, for love of gold." 
'* O yes," more voices still replied, 

'* 'Tis so, God knows 'tis true 
You deal out death on every side, 

We all attest it too." 
Then more and more of forms there came. 

And stood around his bed. 
And many called him by his name. 

Though long since they were dead. 
" O God," he cried, " can it be so, 



52 THE RUMSELLER's VISION. 

Have I then done this deed, 
Have I then wrought this scene of woe, 

And caused these hearts to bleed ? ' ' 
"O yes," the voices all replied, 

" Yourself has caused this ill, 
You deal out death's destructive tide, 

Whene'er your cups you fill." 
Ah, then he felt the scorching smart 

Of conscience in his breast. 
And breathed from out his aching heart, 

The thoughts which broke his rest. 
''And is there no relief from this — 

No peace for men like me — 
Can I not have on earth some bliss — 

Can I no comfort see? " 
*' O yes," each voice with one accord, 

Broke on his dreaming ear, 
'* Be just to man, and true to God, 

While yet you're dwelling here. 
Go cease your traffic from this day — 

Do good where e'er you can. 



THE RUMSELLERS VISION. 53 

Thus on the right and honest way, 

You may become a man.'' 
The morn had come — the man awoke, 

And through that vision's power, 
His casks of rum he quickly broke. 

Nor sold it from that hour. 



A Vrtck or\ ik ^oad 

There's a wreck on the road ! A wreck did you say? 

And do you remember that awful, sad day 

When the ' * lyightning Express ' ' swept down from 

the ridge, 
And plunged from the track when crossing the bridge ? 
There was crashing of timbers — there was breaking of 

bones. 
There were shrieks of the dying — there was blood on 

the stones; 
And the hurried command, '' Send the wrecking train 

quick, 
Five coaches are wrecked and down in the creek." 
Send doctors for dying — send cofl&ns for dead; 
Great God ! how quickly the horrid news spread. 
There was rushing of children — there was shouting of 

men, 
As they swept to the rescue, there down in the glen. 



54 



A WRECK ON THE ROAD. 55 

Draw a veil o'er the scene, and no longer unroll 
To the view of the people the terrible scroll. 
The cars have been lifted — the tracks are repaired, 
The dead are all buried — the injured are spared. 
But what of the wrecks of the rumseller's bowl, 
Which wrecks both in body and ruins in soul ? 
Do we rush to the rescue and labor to save 
Our fellows from filling the drunkard's sad grave? 

O brothers and comrades, I pray you beware 

Of the serpent that stings, and the rumseller's snare. 

There is death in the cup — turn the wine goblet down; 

Meet offers to drink with manhood's bold frown. 

" Yield not to temptation " — keep on the right track. 

For once you are off, it is hard to " snatch back," 

And the demon of rum will bind you and goad 

'Till the cry goeth forth, '^There's a wreck on the road.'' 



Above fk Rapids 

There's a fellow out fishing, my brother, 
And he sits like a man in a dream, 

Whilst his boat without anchor or rudder. 
Is drifting away down the stream. 

Around him the sunlight is playing, 

And the waves dance bright on their way. 

Whilst the bee and the butterfly straying, 
Are abroad o'er the river today. 

Unconscious of danger he's gliding, 

'Though his boat moves gently and slow. 

Surely down where the abyss is hiding 
And the waters are seething below. 

Just before him the rapids are gleaming, 
And the rocks lie rugged beneath, 

But the man in the boat keeps dreaming, 
As if touched by the torpor of death. 



56 




Surely down where the abyss is hiding 
And the waters are seething below. 



58 ABOVE THE RAPIDS. 

Shout aloud, all ye who are human, 
Ring the sound of alarm in his ears; 

Send a cry like the wailing of woman 
O'er the water to awaken his fears. 

lyaunch a boat and row out in the river. 
Throw a rope to rescue and save. 

Ere he reaches the rapids and never 
Can be kept from a watery grave. 

O my brothers, too many are fishing 
'Bove the rapids of Rum everyday; 

And what is the good of our wishing 
Them well, and have nothing to say. 

lyet us warn and entreat them with kindness 
Of the rocks and the whirlpool below; 

Perhaps they will listen and mind us 
And be saved from shipwreck and woe. 

Shout aloud, all ye who are human. 
Ring the sound of alarm in their ears; 



ABOVE THE RAPIDS. 59 

Send a cry like the wailing of woman, 
O'er the water to awaken their fears. 

Launch a boat and row out in the river, 

Throw a rope to rescue and save, 
Ere they're drawn in the rapids and never 

Are kept from the drunkard's sad grave. 



Lines on M Death of President ncKinley 

Toll the bells — a nation weepeth 

For the son it loved so well; 
lyO, the noble hero sleepeth, 

And our hearts with anguish swell. 

lyook, a tear is on the willow; 

List, a sigh is on the breeze, 
And the ocean's stormy billow 

Bears a wail across the seas. 

God in heaven, our hearts are bleeding 
From the wound that he received; 

Precious Savior, interceding. 

Soothe thou her this blow hath grieved. 

Guide our rulers — guard our nation. 

May it still its mission fill, 
And in every true relation. 

Rule according to thy will. 



60 



LINES ON THE DEATH OF PRES. MCKINLEY. 

Freemen, closer clasp each other 
In the bonds of love and peace, 

Man to man, and for our brother, 
May our friendship still increase. 

But for those who raise a finger 
To uproot our rignteous laws. 

May our anger never linger. 

Swift to guard our country's cause. 

" Law and order ! " be our war cry, 
Down with anarchists of red; 
Let us swear it, ** live or die," 
As we view our honored dead. 



Passing dway 



I turn away from the noisy cares 

Of this busy world of strife, 
With its anxious thoughts and tempting snares 

To the morning of my life. 

Then a mother watched my infant feet, 
And she marked my steps with care, 

With a mother's heart and love complete. 
With a mother's soul and prayer. 

But sickness came and she suffered hard, 

'Till death relieved the pain; 
And she passed the gates which are all unbarred 

And ne'er came back again. 

Then an infant came one happy day. 
And blessed our hearth three years; 

'Till a shadow fell, and he passed away, 
And our hearts were bathed with tears. 



62 



PASSING AWAY. 63 

Then a father passed through the portals too, 

And a brother followed soon, 
Then a sister passed away from view, 

In the cold and silent tomb. 

I look again o'er the track of Time, 

Some flowers along it spread, 
But hosts of friends who once were mine, 

Are numbered with the dead. 

Ah, yes, I plainly see today. 

Though my step be firm and strong, 

That like my friends I must pass away, 
Along with the moving throng. 

Along with the throng which is moving fast, 
lyike a fleet toward a foreign shore. 

The friends we loved too soon have passed. 
And come back unto us no more. 

And the thought conies up, O can it be. 
That the grave is the end of Time ? 



64 PASSING AWAY. 

That they're lost to us in an unknown sea, 
These friends of yours and mine ? 

Forbid this thought — let the Bible guide 
Our hearts and minds aright; 

Our friends still live, and will abide, 
Though out of our mortal sight. 

For the closing scene which we call death, 
When our loved ones pass away, 

Is but the morn with its rosy breath, 
As it ushers in the day. 



^e Land of fk ¥est 

Our country is broad and famed are our hills, 

Our rivers are mighty and sparkling our rills; 

On the peaks of the Rockies, the snow caps are seen — 

In the laps of our valleys the meadows are green, 

The orange and palm are exceedingly fair, 

Where Florida lies in the tropical air. 

But the land which I love, and seemeth the best, 

Is the home of the prairie, 'tis the land of the West. 

Go see it at sunrise, when fresh o'er the land. 

The burst of the sunlight spreads out on each hand; 

When the tears of the night, all aglow with the blaze. 

Are changed into gems by the sun's brilliant rays; 

And out from the breast of the unbroken sod. 

Come springing the flowers first planted by God: 

'Tis a scene of rare beauty, and one to impart 

A charm to the eye, and give joy to the heart. 

Or view it at noonday, when wide o'er the plain 

Are waving in billows the harvests of grain, 

6s 



66 THE LAND OF THE WEST. 

Which swayed by the breeze roll 'way from the eye 
Iflke the roll of the ocean ' till touched by the sky. 
And the broad fields of corn, in luxury dressed, 
lyoom up on the sight from the prairies' rich breast: 
O the picture is grand — a sight to behold, 
The beauties of which can scarcely be told. 
But O when the West its curtain unrolls. 
And its sky line of purple and crimson unfolds, 
And the rays of the sun fall broadcast and free, 
lyike the glow of the moon on the silvery sea; 
And the clouds are aglow with the radiant dyes 
Which are not of this world, but born in the skies, 
'Tis a picture divine, indeed by its birth, 
The gallery of heaven is transferred to the earth. 



Resurrection 



I looked abroad o'er wintry lands, 

The trees stood stark with empty hands, 

With frozen trunks and branches bare 

They tossed and swayed in icy air. 

No carol now from blue bird's throat, 

No robin piped its cheery note; 

No flowers bloomed — the mountain rill 

In winter's clasp was cold and still. 

All, all was drear, I sadly said, 

The earth is cold, and dumb and dead. 

I looked again, the hour of Spring, 

The world appeared a new born thing — 

The south wind kissed the sleeping earth 

And lo it woke — a^nagic birth ! 

The brooklet laughed — in living green 

The budding trees were quickly seen; 

The fields grew fresh — the meadows fair — 

The song of birds now filled the air, 

67 



6S RESURRECTION. 

And flowers sprang from waking sod 
Responsive to the call from God. 
I looked upon a friend who died, 
My heart was sore, I wildly cried, 
Will winter now forever stay. 
Or will there come a warm spring day 
When voice of God with loving breath 
Shall break and loose the bands of death ? 
Our friends go 'way and evermore 
Remain upon some distant shore; 
Or, it may be, on nearby coast. 
Their barques no longer tempest tossed, 
Are anchored safe in harbor fair 
Where heavenly hosts and angels are. 
O sacred theme — O wondrous day — 
When sky and earth shall melt away 
And trump of God with loud proclaim, 
Bids us come forth to live again ! 
Yes, live again, as flowers bloom. 
And spring to life from winter's tomb, 
And not to die as flowers fall, 



RESURRECTION. - 69 

When winter comes with icy pall, 
But Vive forever on heavenly plains 
Where lasting summer always reigns; 
And funeral rites are never said, 
Nor graves are dug for sleeping dead, 
O happy land — O land sublime! 
O world of life — O heavenly clime — 
How fair thy fields — how fresh the flowers' 
Which bloom within eternal bowers. 
Our Heavenly Father, thus we pray 
May now our feet all cease to stray — 
Ivcad us, O God, by thine own hand. 
And bring lis to that blissful land. 



The Love of Life 

I fain would catch time's wings tonight, 

And bid it cease its eager flight. 

The world is bright and friends are dear, 

I love to live and linger here; 

For earth-born ties are warm and strong, 

Heavenly Father, is this wrong ? 

The frost bound hills grow white with snow, 
But spring soon comes and soft winds blow. 
And clothed in royal robes of green 
The naked trees are quickly seen; 
And robins come and build their nests, 
And pick and plume their crimson breasts. 

Ah, yes, this world is fair to me, 
The blooming flower and budding tree; 
The rising moon and setting sun. 
And starry sky my heart have won; 

1 fain would live and linger here. 
For earth-born ties to me are dear. 



70 



THE LOVE OF LIFE. /I 

Behold the laughing little rills 
Behold the sunshine on the hills; 
See yonder fields of waving green, 
See yonder sea with silver sheen; 
And note the fields of golden grain, 
And tasseled corn upon the plain. 

Then tell me, cynic am I right 

Or not to claim this world is bright ? 

Ah, yes, to me this world is fair. 

The lark is soaring high in air; 

And swift winged swallows in their flight 

And singing birds give me delight. 

Yet Heavenly Father, thus I pray : 
Teach me the true and perfect way; 
My thoughts direct, and ever draw 
My heart in concord with thy law; 
Still loving as I loved before, 
I wish to live and love thee more. 



The Brotherhood of (Ian 

The railway and the telegraph, 

The telephone and steam, 
At time and space exulting laugh 

For what was but a dream. 
Has now become a living truth, 

Engraved upon the age, 
In lines of fire with flashes bright 

Across its title page. 
No more do seas mankind divide — 

No more does mountain range — 
But brought together side by side. 

They thoughts and words exchange. 
Pacific greets Atlantic's morn — 

Spain calls unto Japan — 
And words of love in Heaven born, 

Proclaim the brotherhood of man. 

No more should war with havoc wild. 
With shriek and groan and tear, 

72 



THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN. 73 

With mourning mother, wailing child, 

Have any standing here. 
But bound in peace as bound by steel. 

The world be joined in one. 
In bands of love which all should feel 

'Till time's last day is done. 
Then bid our wicked hearts be still, 

And selfish actions cease, 
Whilst friendly thoughts our bosoms fill. 

And keep us all in peace. 
Make temperance our rule for life — 

From alcohol abstain, 
Then freed from anger and from strife, 

With clear unclouded brain. 
Tread boldly in the path which leads 

Where duty points the way, 
And forge a link to form a chain, 

To fetter creed and clan. 
And firmer bind and help maintain 

The brotherhood of man. 



74 THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN. 

Do wicked hearts and ruthless hands 

Conspire to deal a blow, 
At tyrant lives in foreign lands 

How swift^the tidings go ! 
As lightning from a stormy sky — 

As flashes from the sun — 
As speeds the wind when storms go by, 

They o'er the earth do run; 
For Norway whispers to the palms — 

The tropics to the poles — 
And human thought in mighty psalms 

O'er all the world enrolls. 

And O when fiend in human form 

At Garfield raised his hand, 
And sought to do him mortal harm, 

And wound our glorious land. 
How like the meteors from the sky 

Swift sped the news abroad, 
As borne by angels from on high. 

Sent from the throne of God. 



THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN. 75 

'Till every heart at once stood still, 

Mankind all held their breath, 
And prayed, ** O God, be it thy will 

To hold him back from death." 

For notwithstanding sin and strife, 

Harsh words and ruthless deed 
Their poison drop, and mar this life 

And cause our hearts to bleed. 
Yet underneath these seething waves, 

Like cables 'neath the sea, 
Ivie coils of love from heart to heart 

And bonds of sympathy. 
One common Father for our race — 

One Savior for us all — 
One earth to be our burial place 

One Heaven, or none at all. 
Let's forge a link to form a chain 

To fetter creed and clan, 
And firmer bind and help maintain 

The brotherhood of man. 



Tke Beautiful 



How beautiful the opening day 

When mountain top and tower 
Are gilded with the morning ray, 

Which paints each tiny flower. 
Athwart the sky the golden beams 

Of sunlight softly steal, 
'Til woodland glows and valley gleams 

From gladness which they feel. 
How lovely then the world appears. 

How beautiful the earth. 
As though the night's baptismal tears 

Had blessed anew its birth. 
O'er forest, stream and meadow fields 

The silvery sunlight spreads, 
And all ablaze with golden rays 

The lake its lustre sheds. 
How sweet the hour of eventide, 

When nature seeks repose, 



76 



THE BEAUTIFUL. 77 

And down the west the shadows glide 

And shuts the blooming rose. 
The air seems hushed — the shadows creep 

O'er hillside, vale and plain, 
And stars come forth and vigil keep 

'Till day returns again. 
And O, those jeweled gems of light. 

How lovely to the eye ! 
How beautiful in myriads bright 

They cluster in the sky; 
And they perchance are worlds like ours. 

With hills and lakes and trees, 
Where maple leaves and blooming flowers 

Are kissed by every breeze. 
The little birds how blithe and free. 

With brown or golden wing. 
They skim the air right merrily, 

Or sit and sweetly sing. 
The apple blooms of blushing May, 

The fruits of autumn time, 
With lovely tints to me display 

The artist hand divine. 



78 THE BEAUTIFUL. 

The violet springing from the ground — 

The grass and growing grain — 
The pearly shells in ocean found, 

The snowflakes and the rain, 
Are clothed with beauty, and their birth 

Bespeaks a master hand, 
Which gilds the sky, and decks the earth 

And blesses all the land. 
And yet we read of brighter fields. 

Of fairer fruits and flowers. 
Where heavenly sunshine softly steals 

'Mong ever blooming bowers. 
Our Heavenly Father, thus we pray, 

Guide all our steps aright; 
Keep us within the narrow way 

Which leads to endless light. 
Then when earth's beauties slowly fade, 

And faint and slow our breath, 
And on our eyelids gently laid. 

We feel the touch of death, 
Our vision freed from earthly ties, 

Shall with new strength expand, 
And peering upward through the skies 

Behold the '* Promised Land." 



Railroad Reminiscences 

With the trains on our road, forty cars for a load 

Rolling by the station each day, 
My mind turns back, over memory's track, 

To the years which are far away; 
And I cannot but smile, and laugh for the while 
When I think of " Green Erin's " sons 
As they shoveled the earth, and gave vent to their mirth 

In mischievous pranks and puns: 
There was Patrick Muldoon and Dennis Gossoon 

And Jimmy Mahar with a scar, 
Which he got one night in a scrimmage and fight 

When he felt the soft side of a bar. 
O those were the days when in various ways 

The " bhoys " on the yard had their fun. 
When their spirits arose and they went for their foes 

And swung the " shilalah " and gun. 
But what shall I say of the men of that day 

Who served as our bold engineers ? 
With their eyes on the track and miles to their back 

79 



80 RAILROAD REMINISCENCES. 

Their hands never trembled with fears: 
Delaney and Blake no " back seats " did take, 

For indeed they were stalwart and true; 
Whatever the grade, their time they well made, 

And pulled their heavy trains through. 
But they left us for aye, in the years far away, 

And we think of them now in our tears; 
And we truly can say, we mourned on the day 

When they signed up the ** pay roll " of years. 
O men of good cheer, to me you were dear. 

And I think of you often and long: 
'Though humble of name, your deeds and your fame 

I celebrate now in my song: 
McCormick was brusque, tut we always could trust 

And rely on the words which he said; 
'Though his spirits were light, his heart was all right 

And we mourned when we heard he was dead; 
And Gardner so fair that few could compare 

With ' ' Billy ' ' in form or in face. 
With gentlemanly air and the greatest of care 

His train he ruled over with grace; 
But there came a sad day in the usual way 



RAILROAD REMINISCENCES. 8 I 

When Death ran a train to his door 
And with sceptre and sword, called out, " All aboard," 

For the land of the Ever Green Shore. 
And Mayo so true, with his eyes of sky blue 

And a heart that was loving and kind, 
'Though gone to his rest in the land of the blest, 

Still lives in the depths of my mind. 
O robber, old Time, of the friends who were mine 

You've taken full many a score, 
And I feel I'm bereft, so few are there left 

Of the friendships and comrades of yore; 
And I turn in my gaze to the halcyon days 

When the men were truer than steel. 
And in all of their ways deserving the praise 

Of seeking the company's weal; 
When the fealty we owed we gave to the road 

Which gave us our daily bread, 
And went to our work with no spirit to shirk 

No matter what any one said. 
Ah! that is the test, and the one which is best. 

To decide the worth of a man: 
So workmen prove true, and whatever you do. 



82 RAILROAD REMINISCENCES. 

Perform it the best which you can; 
And millionaires learn it is folly to spurn 

The claims of the worker for hire, 
But give him your ear and patiently hear 

Of reforms which he may desire. 
Then labor and cash no longer may clash, 

But shoulder to shoulder may stand, 
And " strikes " with their crash, knocking business to 
** smash " 

No longer may injure our land. 



Tiie .Country I(ailroad ^ge^t's Trials 

Ho friends from the country, where the sweet robins 

sing, 
Where the crocus and cowslip add charms to the spring, 
Where the lambs on the hillside in gambol and play. 
Are seen from the house each sunny spring day; 
And the fruits of the summer and autumn unfold 
Their cheeks of bright crimson and colors of gold; 
Where the great Master Artist His powers disclose 
In the paint of the lily and blush of the rose. 
And the hours are encircled with a halo of peace, 
As the flocks in your fields and your harvests increase. 
If you come to the station where the hissing hot steam, 
And smoke of the engines in sunlight do gleam, 
And find the old agent in the midst of the din, 
Just bid him " good mornmg," speak kindly to him; 
For the tone of his speech and the frown which he wears 
Don't index his heart, but betoken his cares. 
A car has been wrecked just up in the " sag," 
A wheel has been broken so it scarcely will drag, 

83 



84 THE COUNTRY RAILROAD AGENT's TRIALS. 

And the load — well now, don't breathe a * ' cuss ' ' word, 
But the whole of that freight must be quickly trans- 
ferred, 
That case of dressed turkey admits no delay. 
But be landed in Boston before Christmas day. 
For that is no time to be feeding on greens, 
Or confine the good people to a diet of beans! 
There's a horse to be shipped, and a pig in a cage, 
And a package to Brighton, * * then forward by stage. ' ' 
There's a '* short " and an " over " and three " dam- 
age claims, ' ' 
A lot of " strayed freight " and cares without names; 
Mr. Smith wants his lumber put on the side track, 
And the cars which are there must be ' * crowded back, ' ' 
Peter Scott says his coal must quickly * * be switched ' ' 
Or his work for the day will surely be ditched. 
Mr. Jones wants two cars to be loaded with hay, 
Mr. Blank wants the cars the very same day ; 
Richard Moore wants to know " why his freight is de- 
layed." 
Mr. Mann cannot see " where his has been strayed," 
When in comes a mac all frenzied and wild. 



THE COUNTRY RAILROAD AGENTS TRIALS. 85 

And says with an oath, " See here, my dear child! 
The train has been standing across the main street 
And kept me there waiting 'till I've frozen my feet." 
Then the telephone rings and he wonders who's there, 
It is Bronson, and says, *' How much is the fare 
From Cbeapside to Klondike with a dog and a gun, 
A couple of fish poles and a keg of good rum ?" 
Then the auditor comes to look after the " debit," 
And says, " By the bills you are giving some credit. 
Don't you know, my dear sir, that this is all wrong; 
The company's rules were not made for a song." 
Then the agent replies, " I know that is true, 
But say, my kind sir, what shall a man do, 
When a freighter has come through the wind and the 

snow, 
Five miles through the drffts with his cash little low? 
Or perhaps in his hurry been looking askance 
And left his cash back when changing his pants ?" 
Then the "way freight" comes with a rush and a 

roar — 
The conductor alights as often before — 



86 THE COUNTRY RAILROAD AGENT's TRIALS. 

And declares, *' For this day I'll not make a switch, 
Or I'll dump all the cars right down in the ditch." 
Then the bold engineer, with a smile that is bland. 
Says, ** For once our conductor is certainly grand, 
That miserable agent — if he had his way 
Would keep us here switching the whole of the day." 
Then the agent replies, '* Your talk isn't nice. 
And besides, sirs, with me, it don't cut any ice, 
That switching you'll do or surely will rue it, 
So get down to your work, and quickly get through it." 
Then next on the scene comes old Mrs. Brown, 
The sweetest old lady there is in the town ; 
She comes to inspect a car load of freight. 
Which arrived in the night, from the end of the state. 
A chair has been broken, and a jar of sweet jam, 
Has dumped all its contents o'er a box of salt ham! 
The smile which she wore upon her sweet face, 
To a cloud and a frown now quickly gives place; 
For the chair which is broken she quickly espies, 
And " See here, Mr. Agent," she despairingly cries, 
" That chair was my mother's — of mahogany made, 



THE COUNTRY RAILROAD AGENT's TRIALS. 8/ 

By the finest of workmen there was in the trade; 
'Twas worth fifty dollars! Come this is no fun, 
Let me know right away what is going to be done ?" 
Then the agent hangs his head, and has little to say. 
For he knows very well that "the deuce is to pay." 
Now these little trials are but part of the strife. 
Which comes to perplex a railroader's life; 
But say, my dear boys, we've no right to complain; 
We are paid for our work — we labor for gain; 
And the public, too, pays for all which it asks, 
So let us be loyal and true to our tasks: 
Remember, we're servants — keep this well in mind. 
Treat every one squarely — speak mildly and kind, 
And if we can't do this we'd better '' retire," 
Step back from the ranks, out the range of the fire, 
And let men of sense and superior graces, 
Step up to the front and fill up our places. 



^n Acrostic. 



May health with its blessings all others excelling, 
And friendship as pure as the pearl or the dew, 

Return with their joys, and all sadness dispelling, 
Yet give the sweet pleasures of youth unto you. 

Entwined with the rose is the thorn and the willow, 

Life has its sunshine, its shadows and woe; 
In vain may we hope that over its billow, 

Zephyrs balmy and mild will unceasingly blow: 
And yet in the future I trust that there lingers, 

Beams of sunshine unchanging for you. 
Ever lending thy page unstamped by time's fingers 

Those colors that make it all bright to our view: 
Have hope gentle friend, thy day spring is beaming, 

Life's roses still bud, and will bloom yet for thee; 
O'er thy pathway hereafter bright sunbeams be stream- 
ing 
While affection, and friendship from semblance all free 
Ever faithful and lasting shall gather 'round thee. 

88 



Greenwood Cemetery. 

Beyond the cities' worldly din, 
Beyond the scenes of wrong and sin, 
Where Nature breathes its sweet perfume, 
From roses in their early bloom, 
Where zephyrs sigh 'mong vernal bowers 
Throughout night's calm and silent hours, 
And willows droop and cedars rise, 
The sacred place called Greenwood lies; 
O Greenwood, holy place of earth! 
Both Art and Nature gave thee birth; 
With zealous care both hand in hand, 
Have beautified this spot of land. 
O who can walk beneath its shades, 
Or tread along its sacred glades, 
And hear it's soft melodious air, 
Sigh like the sound of infant prayer. 
Except to feel a softening power. 
Come stealing o'er him in that hour. 



89 



90 GREENWOOD CEMETERY. 

That bids him act a Christian's part, 

And worship God with all his heart ? 

Here flowery hills and sombre dales, 

And crystal lakes, and silent vales, 

Burst on the view with magic power, 

lyike some elysian shaded bower; 

And O how sweet the Sharon rose, 

When Summer's breeze so gently blows. 

Buds 'round the tombs where mourners kneel, 

And tell sweet Heaven the woes they feel: 

The flowers that each season rears. 

Well watered by affections tears, 

Here bloom with holy beauty crowned, 

And cast their fragrance all around. 

'Tis here that Nature tributes bring. 

And spreads them with a lavish wing; 

Here weeping friends in silence go, 

And shed the tears of bitter woe. 

And press the myrtle, 'round the grave 

Of friends they loved, but could not save. 

For Death's sure work is not delayed. 



GREENWOOD CEMETERY. 9I 

His ruthless hand is never stayed: 
But what is death, with all its strife? 
The soul exults in lasting life; 
The marble pillars towering high, 
Point up with meaning to the sky. 
And silently they seem to say, 
*' The spirit's home is far away;" 
Yes, far away, where Angels roam, 
In realms beyond the heavenly dome; 
O go when glows the sun's first ray 
That streaks the East with coming day 
And view the charms which gather 'round 
This very lovely burial ground. 
The crystal tears the night hath shed 
Glow brightly o'er the silent dead — 
The gentle breath of morning hours 
Is sighing 'mong the shady bowers — 
The blushing leaves of roses spread — 
The lily rears its drooping head — 
The marble gives a brighter glow, 
lyike flashing gleams from pearly snow, 



92 GREENWOOD CEMETERY. 

And dewy boughs in sunlight wave 

In quiet vigil o'er each grave; 

Or go, when sunlight steals away, 

And night comes treading on the day; 

When 'long these lakes there steals a shade, 

And silence reigns in every glade. 

It seems that Fairies here might dwell, 

Within each all enchanting dell, 

Content throughout the bowers to roam, 

Nor wish a more celestial home; 

And when the stars the heavens spread. 

Come forth to vigil o'er the dead. 

How sweet the moon's pale light comes down, 

Upon this hallowed spot of ground; 

Yes! hallowed ground we well may say. 

For here how many dear ones lay — 

How many souls here humbly bend, 

And weep o'er some departed friend ? 

Some friend who lived within the heart, 

From whom it seemed 'twere death to part. 

Here mothers weep o'er some loved child. 



GREENWOOD CEMETERY. 93 

Who all their daily cares beguiled, 
And children mourn a parent's care — 
A father's aid, or mother's prayer! 
Yes! thousands sleep within these tombs 
Who were the joy of earthly homes; 
Rest on, ye dead, in sweet repose, 
Beneath life's splendor, joy and woes, 
'Till God at judgment shall decree. 
That Death shall have no power o'er thee. 



Be Clieerfd, 



Be cheerful, all ye humble poor, 

And envy not your neighbors. 
For 'though some ills you must endure, 

And sweat beneath your labors; 
You fare not half as hard as those. 

Who eat unwholesome dinners; 
And strut about in princely clothes, 

Like royal, stall-fed sinners; 
For toil will bring its sure reward. 

And may be make you stronger; 
And 'though you deem your fortune hard. 

Your life will be the longer; 
For high fed men at last will feel. 

The gout has surely found them, 
And wish they'd lived on plainer meal 

I/ike poorer men around them. 

Be cheerful, all ye vulgar crowd, 
Nor sigh for rank or station, 



94 



BE CHEERFUL. 95 

I^et Other voices trumpet loud ; 

Win homage from the nation; 
For politics is but a trade — 

An every day profession — 
And statesmen oft are ' ' ready made ' ' 

And put up in succession. 
So be content, ye working men, 

And honor well your calling, 
For if you stand quite low, why then, 

The less the fear of falling. 
But those who stand above us all. 

And have no cause to grumble, 
Will sometimes take a sudden fall, 

And then, how far they tumble! 

Be cheerful, all ye humble youths. 

Who' re trying to be noted, 
And be not to the fickle muse 

Your time too much devoted; 
For making rhymes will surely tend, 

To keep your mind in clatter, 



96 BE CHEERFUL. 

And all your work at last may end, 

In total waste of matter. 
For public praise gives up the palm, 

To those alone who win it, 
And since the race is hard to run. 

We'd better not begin it; 
For glory's won by losing legs, 

And fame is but a bubble. 
And wealth — sometimes the worldly dregs, 

Brings only care and trouble. 

Be cheerful, all ye ladies' dear, 

Who have not handsome faces, 
For there are those, you need not fear, 

Who prize superior graces; 
And beauty oft is but a sham — 

A whitewash o'er the features, 
That poorly gives a transient charm, 

To some ill-looking creatures. 
So you who are not quite so fair, 

If virtue but adorn thee. 



BE CHEERFUL. 9/ 

Of worthy beaus will have your share, 

Now mind, of this I warn thee: 
For paint, ard lace, and all such trash, 

That ladies sport so gayly. 
When stepping out to cut a dash 

And promenading daily, 
Will never charm a man of sense, 

Or one who's worth the winning, 
But sooner far this weak pretense. 

Will only set him grinning. 



The C¥rnj tkt Bids |1e Stay. 

When gazing oft upon the sky, 
That seems to fringe the hills, 

A sudden impulse fires my eye, 
And through my bosom thrills. 

I long to roam beyond the bound 

My vision can survey, 
But then in love there's always found 

A charm that bids me stay. 

I fancy spread upon the breeze. 

The snowy sail untied, 
To flap away o'er distant seas. 

And 'bove their billows ride. 

And then beneath its spreading fold 

I see the water glow. 
And glisten neath the sunset gold 

As on the vessels go. 



98 




I fancy spread upon the breeze, 
The snowy sail untied, 

To flap away p'er distant seas, 
And 'bove their billows ride. 



LofC. 



lOO THE CHARM THAT BIDS ME SIAY. 

Yes, fancy paints in colors clear, 
Much fairer scenes than home, 

But then my soul is fastened here 
By ties I'll ne'er disown. 

The look that beams from loving eyes 
Throws 'round my life a spell 

That none save me can fully prize, 
Or half its pleasure tell. 

I fain would roam some future time 

Beneath Italia's sky. 
And dwell within its sunny clime. 

While life was rolling by. 

For long ago when I was young, 
I dreamed of sunny bowers, 

Where plants in beauty always sprung 
With fairer tints than ours. 

And if no gentle spirit's power 
Would soothe my aching breast, 



THE CHARM THAT BIDS ME STAY. 101 

A transient unproductive hour 
Would number all my rest. 

But now when fancy spreads her plumes, 

And bears my thoughts away, 
The love that all my life illumes 

In wisdom bids me stay. 

For though it would be joy to me 

To roam in distant lands, 
And wander far beside the sea 

That washes foreign sands, 

The earnest, solemn, second thought 

Unto my mind reveals 
That distant pleasures fiercely sought 

The truest comfort steals. 

For not a scene this earth can lend, 

Can half the bliss impart. 
That one true loving, gentle friend 

Can give a feeling heart. 



Thy Own im Hand. 

Thy own right hand must clear the way 

That leads thee on to fame, 
If e'er the light of glory's ray 

Sheds lustre on thy name. 
If e'er thou soar on upward wings 

And 'mong thy fellows rise, 
Or share the love that merit brings 

To those who win the prize. 
'Though friends for thee may feel a care. 

And help thy mind to see, 
Yet some there are who'd blot the star 
That lights the path for thee. 

Thy own right hand should guide the plough 

And dig the stubborn soil, 
And wipe from off thy sweating brow 

The evidence of toil. 
And make the earth its harvests yield. 

To smile upon thy pains, 

I02 



THY OWN RIGHT HAND. IO3 

And nature deck the cultured field 

For thee, with waving grains. 
For God has spoke the stern decree, 
And none should it withstand; 
The sphere for thee henceforth shall be 

To crush and till the land. 

Thy own right hand must wield the sword 

That glistens in the fight, 
When loud resounds the stirring word, 

To arms ! to arms ! for Right; 
If e'er you win the victory, 

Or in the glory share 
With those who are the brave and free, 

And who for freedom dare.- 
For those who shrink from danger's face. 

And from their duty flee, 
The pen shall trace, with deep disgrace, 

As men of low degree. 

Thy own right hand must deal the blow, 
If wisdom you would gain, 



:04 THY OWN RIGHT HAND 

If mucli of science you would know 

And nature's works explain. 
If e'er you win a laurel crown, 

And be of real worth, 
Thy acts must win thy own renown 

Instead of wealth or birth. 
For virtuous deeds and upright ways 

Are jewels clear and bright, 
Whose glittering rays will win the praise 

Of those who love the right. 

Thy own right hand must wield the pen. 

And mark each earnest thought, 
If thou wouldst share with other men 

The fame their works have wrought. 
Thy own right hand must roll away 

The vStone from out the gate, 
That leads where wealth and honor lay, 

If thou wouldst conquer fate. 
For few for thee will e'er essay 

To deal one stalwart blow, 



THY OWN RIGHT HAND. IO5 

To carve thy way where fortunes lay, 
And all delight to go. 

Then strike, ye youths — then strike, I say, 

The work is thine to do; 
Yourselves alone must carve the way 

Which leads to wealth for you. 
Then strike with spirits proud and free, 

And hearts as bold and strong, 
And fate will cast its smiles on thee, 

And right will conquer wrong. 
But strive to feel within thy souls 

Dependence on the power 
Whose hand enrolls and will controls 

The works of every hour. 



%e Parmer's Prayer 



O give us the light, O blissful sight, 

Of the blazing sun again, 
lyet the farmer smite with the whole of his might 

The stalks of the golden grain. 

For I fancy now, on his sunburnt brow, 

There rests a shade of fear; 
And the men who bow to the scythe and plough. 

Have need of a blissful year. 

lyct the westwind blow with a quickening flow 

And the clouds be cleared away; 
Let the heavens show a bright blue glow 

That speaks of a shining day. 

That speaks of the hope that the ripened crop 

Grew not for man in vain. 
But his empty cup shall be filled up 

With the gifts of God again. 



io6 



THE FARMERS PRAYER. lOy 

May the workman sing and the cradle swing 

With a force that shows a will, 
That tells as they fling, that they'll surely bring 

The harvest home from the hill. 

O give us, lyord, with thy full accord, 

The blessing that we crave. 
And a murmuring word will not be heard. 

Nor the harvests longer wave. 

Written in August, 1855, at time "of constant 
rain when the author was a farmer. 



^anl^sgiving 



November skies are cold and gray, 
The fields are bare and dreary; 

No perfume now of new-made hay, 
No robin's notes so cheery. 

The maple trees their leaves have shed 
And autumn winds are sighing; 

The lovely flowers are dry and dead, 
The glad old year is dying. 

But, gracious God, we come again, 
And thank Thee for the giving 

Of ripened fruit and golden grain, 
And all which makes our living. . 

The opening Spring gave promise fair 
Of crops in good condition. 

And summer showers and summer air 
Brought forth the full fruition. 



io8 



THANKSGIVING. IO9 

'Till all the barns and cribs appear 
Filled with the harvest's treasure, 

To mark this as the golden year 
Which brought the farmer pleasure. 

For all these gifts we give Thee praise, 

With heartfelt, pure devotion; 
Upon this day of festal days. 

From ocean unto ocean. 

We render thanks for singing birds, 

For growing grass and flowers; 
For kindly acts and gentle words 

From loving friends of ours. 

We bless Thee that no bloody hand 
Has touched our glorious nation — 

That peace has reigned throughout our land 
With all its sweet oblation. 

We thank Thee for the rising sun. 
And for the moon in splendor; 



no THANKSGIVING. 

For Starry skies when day is done, 
For friendship true and tender. 

And now, O God, we humbly pray 
. Still richer gifts be given; 
Lead us into Thy perfect way, 
And fit us all for Heaven. 

Then when our souls from earth set free, 
In heavenly homes are living, 

We'll render thanks again to Thee, 
And keep anew, Thanksgiving. 



Lines in Favor of Building fki Albai^y and 
Sasauehanna Railroad. 

Written in 1856. 

Men and brethren list I pray, 

This is an important day; 

Rising up in thinking minds, 

Truth with brilliant lustre shines. 

Yet through error's darkened screen 

Dreadful ills by some are seen. 

The cobwebs that the spiders strung. 

While Rip Van Winkle yet was young, 

Still cling around the hazy brows 

Of some who should our cause espouse. 

Men with vision closely shrouded, 

And with reason sadly clouded. 

Now would raise the mist of ages. 

And yet claim to be our sages. 

'Tis this that bids me raise my voice 

In token of my settled choice. 

m 



112 ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 

Behold the good which has been done, 
By railroads, and by them alone. 
See yonder west in verdure dressed, 
Speaks volumes in their praise; 
It was but rich to say the best, 
Before its railroad days. 

Where wild the beasts roamed o'er the land. 

The cabin and the farm-house stand; 

Where once the cabin, now instead 

A mansion rears its stately head; 

Cities as if by magic raised 

Where once the deer in quiet grazed, 

Now stand to show the speedy change. 

Of all within a railroad's range. 

Where e'er these roads were ever built. 

Their power for good is seen and felt. 

Behold, beyond the seas afar. 

Beneath the sway of Russia's Czar, 

Or yonder where the English Isle, 

Is blessed by Queen Victoria's smile. 

They bring progression on its way, 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 113 

And usher in a brighter day. 
Then why should we not have one too ? 
It would for us the same thing do; 
Here where nature has done much, 
But art scarce felt us with its touch; 
Our lands are rich — our crops are fair — 
Our herds are fat — yet here we are. 
Within our old and rusty shell, 
In blissful nothingness we dwell. 
But build the railroad, and we'll claim 
A better fate — a brighter name. 

Close at our backs we'll have the west, 
With all its verdure richly dressed; 
New York and Boston at our feet, 
And Albany we'll hourly greet. 
Thus joined unto the business world. 
Progression's flag will be unfurled; 
And men will prize the railroad's sway 
That now upbraid its cause today. 
How shall we do it ? some may ask, 
And 'tis indeed a heavy task. 



1 14 ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 

Go, sirs, and sign the railroad bill, 
It will not cause you any ill; 
But then some say it is not just 
That they be taxed to raise the '* dust," 
While yet they are in truth confessing 
The road would be to them a blessing. 
Why then not pay your honest part, 
And do it with a cheerful heart ? 
But if there is a single soul 
So lost to reason's right control. 
As not to prize a railroad's sway. 
To him I would most humbly say. 
Go seek some dark sequestered glade, 
Beneath some lonely mountain's shade, 
And with some moss beneath your head, 
Make beech leaves answer for your bed. 
Rest on, ye sloths ! in quiet sleep, 
While tree toads 'round you vigil keep ! 



Today and Tomoffow. 

[Written during the War of the Rebellion.] 

Where now are the halcyon days of our pride, 

When we thought tha*t no power could our union divide? 

When our flag all untarnished, was honored and blest. 

Alike in the South, the Bast and the West ? 

Gone ! Gone ! are those days and another appears. 

Clad in garments of mourning and wading through tears 

For rebellion has spread through the South like a flood, 

And deluged our land with rivers of blood ! 

In the hillside cottage a widow now weeps. 

For the choice of her heart on the battle-field sleeps, 

And his sunny-haired boy. since he cometh no more, 

lyists in vain for his voice, or his step on the floor. 

The furrows grow deeper on the old man's brow, 

For the son who went forth from the spade and the plow 

To fight for his country, ^though urged to remain, 

Has fought his last fight, and comes not again; 

While the voice of the mother in tones of despair. 

Is borne on the wailing, dirge-laden air. 

i»5 



Il6 TODAY AND TOMORROW. 

O say, will today with its clouds and its sorrow, 
Give way to a sunny, and a joyous tomorrow? 
Will the stars of our Union, now severed in twain, 
Be ever united into one banner again ? ^ 

God grant there will come to our country a day, 
When the battleing hosts of the Blue and the Gray, 
Will cease from their conflict, and sheathing the sword. 
Join hands over the chasm, with our Union restored! 
Where the mansion and lawn with its carpet of green, 
A ruin and heath in their place is now seen; 
Where temples of learning, hospitals stand, 
With barracks and breastworks close at each hand, 
And the march of our nation, yet only begun. 
Seems checked for long years or ages to come. 
War! War! with its scourge, its carnage and strife, 
Seems sapping most surely our nation's best life. 
O say, will today with its clouds and its sorrow, 
Give way to a peaceful and sunny tomorrow ? 
Will our long-loved Union by the struggle be saved 
And soon o'er our laud the olive branch waved ? 
From the far sunny South, but loudly and clear, 



TODAY AND TOMORROW. II/ 

The noise of the conflict now strikes on the ear; 

The death-dealing cannon with peal upon peal — 

The deep rolling drum, the clashing of steel — 

The shrieks of the dying — the bursting of shell 

Bring horrors to earth, like offsprings of Hell! 

O say, will today with its clouds and its sorrow. 

Give way to a joyous and peaceful tomorrow? 

Great God! may tomorrow most speedily come, 

When the boom of the cannon — the roll of the drum — 

The shrieks of the dying — the wail of despair, 

No longer rise up to o'erladen the air; 

When Reason once more assumes its loved sway 

And the spirit of warfare cowers away; 

When the stars of our flag now severed in twain. 

Unite and bespangle one banner again. 

May the men of the South, as they gaze o'er their land. 

Now blackened and marred, by war on each hand, 

And behold on their fields once waving with grain, 

The traces of conflict and tombs of the slain. 

Be led to cry out, " I^et us sheathe now the sword, 

Let this warfare be ended — the Union restored — 



Il8 TODAY AND TOMORROW. 

For once we were happy, ere the stripes and the stars 
Were displaced by the traitorous secession bars. ' ' 
May we of the North, as we gaze on the scene 
'Though our land is unscathed — our fields are yet green, 
Behold how the widows and fatherless weep. 
For thousands now sleeping their last and long sleep, 
Far away from their homes, with no marble to tell 
The spot where they lie, or the place where they fell, 
And be led to bid vengeance and anger be still, 
While our hearts with the spirit of friendship shall fill. 
And our hands be stretched forth, from shore unto shore 
To welcome the South to the Union once more. 
Then! then! will today with its clouds and its sorrow, 
Give way to a joyous and lasting tomorrow! 
Great God! may tomorrow most speedily come, 
When the boom of the cannon — the roll of the drum — 
The shrieks of the dying — the wail of despair — 
No longer rise up to o'erladen the air; 
When Reason once more assumes its loved sway, 
And the spirit of warfare cowers away; 
When the stars of our Union, now severed in twain 
Unite and bespangle one banner again. 



Vhat the Stars of Our flag Tell Os. 

[Written during the war to free Cuba from the rule of Spain.] 

There'vS a flag which is floating on the still summer air, 

Its stripes are unspotted — its fabric is fair, 

And the stars in its folds seem as bright to the eye 

As the sun in the heaven or stars in the sky. 

Hail, flag of the free! Hail, flag of the brave! 

O'er our glorious country this banner doth wave; 

And the stars speak a language to the listening ear. 

To the patriots' heart, most sacred and dear; 

They tell of a country widespreading and grand — 

With the richest of mines and the fairest of land; 

Broad lakes and high mountains rising skyward and free 

And bold rushing rivers flowing on to the sea; 

They speak of a country where no edict or clan 

Can fetter or stifle the conscience of man, 

But free as the wind or the air which he breathes 

He worships his God in the way he believes. 

O flag of my country, forever and aye 

119 



120 WHAT THE STARS OF OUR FLAG TELL US. 

May the stars in thy folds shine bright as today. 

They speak of a place where merit and worth, 

Are the test of true manhood — not title or birth; 

Where the rich and the poor on equality stand, 

In political rights, in a glorious land. 

O land of magnolia, O land of the pine. 

May the stars in thy banner continue to shine 

As brightly as now — with as luminous rays 

'Till the angel proclaims the ending of days! 

For the tale which they tell as they speak unto me, 

Is the tale of a people as valiant as free; 

Behold how a Dewey with his ships on the main 

In the bay of Manila crushed the power of Spain; 

Behold how a Sampson and a Schley with their breath 

Swept the waters of Cuba with the besom of death, 

'Till the ships of old Spain went down in the fight, 

And the world stood in awe at the wonderful sight. 

O banner uplifted — O banner unfurled 

In behalf of the down-trodden sons of the world, 

May God rule our army in Cuba's fair fields, 

'Till the pride of the Spaniard submissively yields, 



WHAT THE STARS OF OUR FLAG TELL US. 121 

And the white dove of peace spreads its wings on the 

breeze, 
'Till it covers all lands and encircles the seas: 
O flag of my country, the stars in thy fold 
Are dear to my heart and fair to behold; 
They speak of a people enlightened and free 
Who cringe not to tyrants, and bend not the knee, 
And tell of a nation united as one 
From the shore of Atlantic to the set of the sun. 
O stars of our flag, unto me you proclaim 
A story of suffering and legend of fame; 
How our forefathers fought — how they suffered and 

died. 
To bequeath unto us this land of our pride, 
With its treasures of freedom — O land of my birth. 
To me thou art dearest of any on earth; 
May the stars in our banner continue to shine. 
And blaze with their light 'long the highway of Time; 
Guide the nations, O banner — go forward today 
Where the spirit of freedom is pointing the way; 
And, O heavenly Father, may thy guiding hand 
Continue to lead and prosper our land. 



%e New Tear. 



O'er the highway of Time we are marching and tread- 
ing, 
Toward the end of earth's journey from day unto 

day; 
The sand grains of life the dial is shedding, 

And ere long the last grain will have wasted away: 
We stand on a hill at New Year, and our vision 

Turns back o'er the road we already have passed, 
Beholding some scenes all bright and elysian, 

And others o'er which a dark shadow is cast; 
Then turn, with new hopes and hearts all emotion 

To the road yet untraveled, the days yet to come, 
As the mariner scans with his eye glass the ocean. 

To discern what's ahead till his voyaging is done; 
But in vain are our efforts, unto us 'tis forbidden 

To know what our fate in the future will be; 
The joys yet reserved, and the sorrows lie hidden 

In the hands of Jehovah by a changeless decree; 

122 



THE NEW YEAR. 123 

And that hand so altnighty from the ages yet folden 

In the blank book of Time, plucks the leaves one by 
one, 
So we know that each day with its moments so golden 

May prove the last page dealt to us 'neath the sun. 
How soon has the year from out of Time's ocean, 

Rolled back one more wave on the shore of the past 
Since the birth of last year with its joyous commotion 

Seems but a few days, yester morn was its last! 
Wintry blasts swept the fields and sighed on the moun- 
tains, 

Soon the kisses of Spring were borne on the breeze; 
Then the singing of birds — the murmur of fountains, 

The blooming of flowers and the budding of trees: 
Then summer was crowned, and the forests were glow- 
ing, 

Full dressed with their beautiful garments of leaves, 
Whilst down in the fields the farmer was mowing 

The grain with his sickle and gathering the sheaves; 
When lo, stately Autumn, with its shadows returning 

Brought its mornings of frost and evenings of cheer, 



T24 THE NEW YEAR. 

To quickly give place, notwithstanding our j^earning, 

To the winds of the Winter and another New Year. 
As we stand on this summit, our journey reviewing, 

Ivet us gather new strength for the labors undone; 
The wrong all forsaking and the right still pursuing, 

Press on in the conflict till the victory is won. 
Has the hearth-stone been shrouded — the home circle 
broken, 

Some true one and loved one been summoned away, 
So the heart has been bleeding from sorrows unspoken 

And grief been its burden by night and by day ? 
LfOok up from the grave to the mansions of glory. 

Where the good and the holy in safety shall rest, 
With a prayer that your loved one has gone on before 
thee. 

To live on forever in the home of the blest. 
Whilst we mourn for the dead let us turn to the living 

With increasing affection and tenderer care; 
To the loved who are left let us ever be giving 

Our hands, faithful service, and hearts, purest 
prayer. 



THE NEW YEAR, 125 

Has rum held dominion and its votaries 'round us 

Crushed the good from our lives in the days which 
are past ? 
Let us break from our limbs the chains which have 
bound us, 

Stepping out in the world in full manhood at last; 
Have our acts been oppressive and scanty the measure 

We have dealt to our brother as the year has gone by? 
Remember, it is God who hath given the treasure, 

And beholds all our acts from his throne in the sky: 
Let us strive to deal justly, gently and kindly — 

Hear the wail of the stricken — see the wants of the 
poor — 
Not rushing on madly, unheeding and blindly, 

But beholding the suffering, and bestowing the cure. 
Have we walked all the while with footsteps all steady 

Throughout the past year as virtue would guide. 
With our hearts ever open and hands ever ready. 

To do a good deed with pleasure and pride; 
Have our children and parents and friends been receiv- 
ing 



126 THE NEW YEAR. 

The devotion from us that to them has been due ? 
Have those who have loved us, our firmness believing, 

Found our acts always faithful, and words ever true? 
Have we strove to rise higher in the scale of our being 

Subduing all the evil and upbuilding the good, 
From the pathway of vice have our footsteps been flee- 
ing, 

By the side of the right have we manfully stood ? 
Let us move right along through the year just begin- 
ning, 

In the path which we wisely and safely have trod; 
Thus joy for ourselves we will ever be winning, 

Doing good unto others and our duty to God. 
We are told of a land where the day is eternal — 

No changing of seasons, no months or New Years, 
But Spring is unending, and everything vernal 

The sight of the traveler unceasingly cheers: 
As the New Year rolls 'round and the road yet before 
us 

Draws nearer, and nearer, still nearer the end. 
May the blessings of life and the clouds passing o'er us 



THE NEW YEAR. 12/ 

So chasten our hearts and such influence lend, 
That we walk all uprightly with purpose unbended 

And our gaze ever fixed on the prize to be won, 
'Till our days all are numbered — our journey is ended — 

Our life book is written — our life work is done. 
Then death will but open the gateway to glory. 

And the soul disenthralled from everything here, 
Rise up from the earth to learn the sweet story 

Of a home in the skies and a heavenly New Year. 



•fi]\ Appeal for Freedom 

(Written at the time of the invasion of Kansas by 
armed bands from Missouri, ) 

Wide awake, O Freedom's lovers, 

Thick and fast the foemen rise, 
Danger 'round our idol hovers, 

Clouds o'ercast our nation's skies; 
Looming up far o'er the prairies, 

Vapors black with discord roll, 
And from right the strong arm varies, 

He, who could, gives no control; 
Men baptized at Freedom's altar. 

Should defend its sacred cause; 
God forbid that one should falter — 

Kneel to slavery's base applause; 
Yet it is the mournful case; 

Truth and justice both are spurned — 
Rulers yield for power and place, 

Rights their sires so nobly earned; 



128 



AN APPEAL FOR FREEDOM. I 29 

Fierce the conflict soon must rage, 

I<est the power of slavery cowers, 
Right must soon with wrong engage 

Freedom only should be ours. 
May its friends in phalanx rally, 

Fling its standard to the breeze. 
Heaven itself will be our ally. 

If we mind its just decrees; 
lyook to Kansas! read its story. 

Fraught with tales of awful wrong; 
Crime and guilt seem counted glory, 

Power upholds the wicked throng; 
There beneath our eagle's pinions, 

Freedom's bliss should find a home. 
But behold how slavery's minions 

Strive to seize upon the throne. 
Who can bear such dealings longer? 

Freemen now are mobbed and killed! 
'Though they're right, the foe is stronger, 

Kansas now with war is filled ! 
Now 'tis time for Freedom's lovers 



130 AN APPEAL FOR FREEDOM. 

To unite the tide to stay; 
Close the cloud of slavery hovers, 

Let us brush the cloud away : 
Long enough we've bent and yielded, 

Ah, too long, I firmly say; 
Northern votes, if rightly wielded. 

Might have kept the foe at bay. 
Men should feel that Freedom's dearer — 

Holier than most other things, 
Nought on earth should e'er seem nearer, 

Nought to man more blessing brings. 



Responsiveiiess 



When brooklets lie 'neath icy bands, 

All hushed and still in death, 
And winters cold and icy hands. 

And blasting, freezing breath. 
Have touched with fatal touch each flower. 

And withered bud and leaf. 
It seems as if there was no power 

Could bring to earth relief. 
But He who said, " Let there be light!" 

And lo, a flood of gold 
Burst through the gloomy walls of night 

And o'er the earth unrolled. 
Hath so arranged the changeless laws 

Which govern earth and air, 
That all respond to one great cause 

And loyal 'legiance bear: 
The smaller orbs within their spheres 

Responsive to the sun, 



131 



132 RESPONSIVENESS. 

In changeless tracks through endless years, 

Their heavenly courses run. 
The magnet turns unto the pole; 

The ocean ebbs and flows, 
Responsive to the great control 

The law of nature shows; 
And so when Spring with magic wand. 

The ice bound landscape feels. 
And gently whispers o'er the land 

Its call to woods and fields, 
The brooklets burst their icy bands, 

No longer hushed in death. 
But laugh, and leap o'er rocks and sands, 

Responsive to the balmy breath, 
That's wooing gently o'er the earth. 

And waking up the flowers. 
With kiss of love to deck once more 

This sinful world of ours. 
The violet springs from out the sod, 

The snow drop bursts to view — 
Fresh offerings from the hand of God, 



RESPONSIVENESS. 1 33 

Ivove gifts to me and you. 
The lark soars forth to meet the morn — 

Its mate the robin calls — 
The swallow seeks the farmer's barn, 

And builds beneath its walls; 
Eye looks to eye — heart beats to heart, 

And hands with hands unite; 
Responsive thrills will quickly start 

Of sorrow or delight; 
For souls to souls are all allied, 

lyove calls unto another; 
The husband answers to his bride — 

The maiden, to her lover. 
The mists rise up to meet the sun, 

But when the earth is calling, 
With heated breath and parching tongue, 

For rain drops to be falling. 
Some friendly cloud the sky o'erspreads. 

As if the call was heeded, \ 

And on the earth responsive sheds 

The rain drops which were needed; 



1 34 RESPONSIVENESS. 

Then bursting bud and blooming flower 

Their petals open wide, 
Responsive to the fresh' ning shower 

Which all their wants supplied; 
The violet shows a brighter hue — 

The grass a richer green, 
As if the earth baptized anew, 

In festal robes was seen. 
O gracious Father — Power Divine, 

Responsive to Thy will, 
Wake up this drowsy heart of mine — 

My soul with rapture fill; 
From henceforth lead me by Thy hand, 

Obedient as a child, 
To walk uprightly, and to stand 

Before Thee, undefiled. 



Ivlondike's Qold 

Where nature all her bounty yields, 
A farmer dwelt among his fields; 
A fruitful garden showed his care, 
And flowers perfumed the summer air, 
So sweetly ! 

Within, the house was neat and clean. 
The snow-white loaf and cloth were seen — 
Fit tokens of a mother's care, 
For mother' s hands had placed them there, 
So lovingly ! 

The crops were never known to fail. 
And breath of clover filled the gale; 
The graceful elms their branches spread. 
So travelers stopped to gaze and said. 
How beautiful! 



135 



136 Klondike's gold. 

The lowing kine in pastures strayed, 
And on the hillside lambkins played; 
The swallow twittered in its nest, 
The robin pecked and plumed its breast, 
Exultingly ! 

How fair the scene, how sweet the home 
Where only love and joy are known; 
But " times were hard " and little gold 
Into the farmer's chest was rolled. 

To jingle merrily. 

This farmer had one stalwart boy, 
His father's pride, and mother's joy; 
As 'round the farm it oft was said. 
With sturdy limb and manly tread, 

He stepped majestically ! 

So when from cold Alaska's strand. 
The news of gold swept o'er the land, 
Up sprang the stalwart son and said, 



Klondike's gold. 137 

The biting cold I do not dread, 

Disdainfully ! 

I'll brave the storms of Chilkoot pass, 
And cross the plains of frozen glass ; 
On Yukon's banks I'll stake my claim 
And dig for gold, and work for fame 
Exceedingly ! 

He went, but oh, what woe untold, 
He suffered in his search for gold ; 
No downy couch was now his bed, 
No pillow now to rest his head. 

So soothingly ! 

But wretched, cold and starved was he, 
A stricken soul in misery ; 
And sickness came, and wildly raved 
He who the Chilkool pass had braved 
Disdainfully ! 

Then all the stories which were told 
Of Klondike's fields of glittering gold 



138 Klondike's gold. 

Swept through his racked and crazy brain, 
Aod came and went, and came again. 
So mournfully ! 

And dreams of home would sweetly creep, 
And break upon his troubled sleep ; 
The graceful elms again were spread. 
And tralers stopped to gaze and said. 
How beautiful ! 

The snow-white cloth again was seen, 
His schoolmates played upon the green. 
And mother's hand now smoothed his bed. 
And mother's hand now bathed his head, 
So tenderly ! 

But oh, sweet dreams are quickly past ; 
They come, they go, too bright to last ; 
And there on Klondike's fields, away. 
He died one dark and dismal day. 
So wretchedly ! 



139 



Say, stalwart youths, 'tis best to stay 
Where loving kine in pastures stray ; 
Where robins peck and plume their breasts, 
And swallows flit and build their nests, 
So cosily ! 

Here, homes their sacted joys unfold ; 
Here, lies unearthed the purest gold ; 
A brother's love — a father's care — 
A sister's kiss — a mother's prayer 
So pleadingly ! 

Ah, these are gold no Klondike field 
To human hearts can ever yield ; 
Stay, stalwart sons, don't dare the pass, 
Or tread the plains of frozen glass, 
Disdainfully ! 

But stay, where toil and care combined 
With flowers of love are intertwined. 
And make the spot we fondly own — 
That sacred place we call "our home," 
A heaven on earth ! 



%e Storiq at St. Louis 

Where Mississippi rolls its tide, 

A regal city stands, 
With happy homes and commerce vast 

Within its ready hands; 
Its streets are thronged with busy feet 

And men with active brain, 

And loving hearts at firesides meet 

When night steals o'er the plain. 
These homes are filled with wealth and art, 

High rise their domes and fair, 
And childish glee its charms impart 

And flowers perfume the air; 
Along its wharf the merchant ship 

And floating palace lie, 
And laden trains of earthly goods 

Go steaming swiftly by : 
Peace reigns and nature sweetly smiles 

Upon this summer day, 
140 



THE STORM AT ST. LOUIS. I4I 

And lovers' words and lovers' wiles 

Drive sombre care away: 
But look, the sky grows overcast 

A storm is hovering near! 
From out the west the darkening crest 

Of thunder clouds appear; 
They darker grow — they twist and curl, 

And crouching toward the earth, 
They sweep across the prairie lands, 

A cyclone at its birth ! 
But look again, it grows in strength 

And angers for the fight. 
And nearer comes with deathly tread, 

A giant in its might! 
A city lies within its path 

Why not its progress check ? 
Why let it move with fearful wrath 

And strew its wake with wreck ? 
But hear the thunder's crashing peal 

And hear the whirlwind scream ! 
With blinding flash and fiery zeal 



142 THE STORM AT ST. LOUIS. 

The cloud born lightnings gleam; 
And onward comes the fearful storm, 

No human power can stay, 
And God withholds his guiding hand, 

And gives it right of way : 
It comes — it comes with fearful roar — 

Black roll the clouds and swell, 
A seething mass of wind and flame. 

An avalanche of Hell. 
It strikes St. lyouis in its face — 

It smites it hip and thigh. 
And humah hopes, and human homes 

Go whirling toward the sky ! 
Crash go the walls — down falls the spire. 

And church, and mart, and hall. 
And colonnade and works of art 

In one dread ruin fall: 
Down sink the boats — we hold our breath 
' While gurgling water rolls. 
And sings the requiem of death 

O'er forms the river holds. 



THE STORM AT ST. LOUIS, 1 43 

Alas the day when on its way 

This home-fed cyclone came, 
With hungry maw and grasping paw, 

With thunder bolt and flame. 

The storm has passed, and azure skies 

lyook down on hill and plain. 
And untouched fields with verdure laugh 

And smiles the growing grain; 
But O, within the city's bound 

What wreck and dismal sway. 
Have ruled the hour, with direful power. 

This melancholy day: 
Homes wrecked — men killed — 

Nor age nor sex been spared; 
The high, the low, the rich, the poor. 

Death's harvest here have shared. 
Oh God! our puny hands lie limp 

And helpless by our side; 
We breathe no ire, but lisp a prayer 

For those who wept and died: 



144 THE STORM AT ST. LOUIS. 

Yet, with this weight of human woe 
Upon our hearts oppressed, 

We humbly ask Why was it so ? 
And Was it for the best f 



The Political Sitaation 

Written during the Presidential Campaign of 1896. 

Ho, voters throughout the whole nation, 
The smoke of the skirmish has passed; 

Each freeman whatever his station. 
Can see the great leaders at last. 

McKinley with banner uplifted, 

At Canton, of tariff declaims. 
And shows where the country has drifted 

In the hands of the party he blames. 

He tells us quite oft of " sound money," 

But never in accents is bold. 
To proclaim if the sound shall be silver. 

Or our coins be otily of gold. 

Not a word of the reptile that's creeping 
Through valley, o'er mountain and hill, 



145 



146 THE POLITICAL SITUATION. 

Not a note of the sorrow and weeping, 

Which is caused by ** the worm of the still." 

Mark Hanna now swingeth the baton, 
And he rules the Republican ring; 

The order comes, '' march ;" and they move on. 
The signal comes, ' ' sing ;" and they sing. 

Who ever saw millions of freemen 

So ingloriously led by the nose ? 
Come this way, cries the millionaire leader, 

And they follow wherever he goes. 

The tariff was to be the prime factor. 
To capture the ballots this year; 
' With McKinley the principal actor. 
But tariff has been sent to the rear. 

New idols have been reared for worship, 

Unto one of which we are told, 
The Israelites turned in their journey, 

As they worshiped the image of gold. 



THE POLITICAL SITUATION. I47 

Of the measure and value of silver, 

Of the '* standard " and merits of gold, 

I wonder sometimes if we ever 

Of the whole of the truth will be told. 

** Protection " for wool and for iron, 
" Protection " for shop and for mill, 

But ' ' license ' ' for selling and buying 
The cup which the rumsellers fill. 

The silver tongued son of Nebraska, 
Bringeth never a word of good cheer; 

But his heart seems cold as Alaska, 

Toward the cause we are holding so dear. 

Great God who ruleth in heaven. 

How long shall this agony be ? 
Ere the curse fromour land shall be driven. 

And our people indeed shall be free ? 

Ho, look, there's a light in the horizon. 
Which is shedding a luminous ray; 



148 THE POLITICAL SITUATION. 

'Tis the star we name " Prohibition," 
And betokens a happier day. 

At its shrine few gather to worship, 
But their hearts are stalwart and true; 

And with God.and the home for our mission. 
We will see liow much we can do. 

Our creed is the good of the nation, 
Our motto, * * protection ' ' from rum — 

Our hope, the final salvation 

From the ruin we're fearful will come. 

Then, brothers, come close by the altar. 
For God and the home take a stand; 

In the path of your duty don't falter, 
But help to redeem our fair land. 



Retrospect 



I sit to-day in my easy chair 

Where the summer shadows lay, 
Where the flowers of June perfume the air, 

And the birds sing sweet and gay ; 
The woods are dressed in their olden style. 

But their garb is fresh and new, 
And the bees are busy all the while. 

And the fields are fair to view, 
Yet my mind turns back o'er a beaten track. 

To the hours of long ago, * 
When the world was bright to my youthful sight. 

And bereft of all its woe. 
A kindly voice salutes my ear, 

And a cherished form I see. 
For a mother comes in the shadows here 

And sweetly talks to me ; 
And a father takes me by the hand, 

And we roam across the fields. 
Where the ripening grain of the cultured land, 

149 



ISO RETROSPECT. 

Its waving harvest yields ; 
And I sit again in the school house door, 

Where playmates all are seen, 
And we join in sport as oft before 

And skip o'er the village green ; 
The hours roll by with a quickening pace, 

And youth too soon has passed, 
Like the golden hours of suriimer flowers. 

Or dreams too bright to last. 
Then a maiden comes with a modest grace, 

And lays her hand in mine. 
With a throbbing heart and an earnest face. 

And says, ** I will be thine." 
We will walk together, side by side. 

Through the busy world as one. 
And together bide and stem life's tide, 

'Till its last day's work is done. 
O sweet were the hours which rolled away 

Like the gentle streamlets flow. 
And calm as the earth at the close of day, 

When the lengthening shadows grow; 



RETROSPECT. 1 5 I 

But sweeter still were the hours which came 

When an infant's sky blue eyes 
Ivooked up to mine with a love-lit flame, 

That was born in Paradise; 
And the infant grew in form and grace, 

With a forehead passing fair, 
And became a boy with a pleasant face, 

And a wealth of golden hair. 
O, I see him now as he frisked about 

In the dooryard 'neath the trees. 
And I hear his laugh and merry shout 

Come ringing on the breeze. 
A brighter glory seems to rest 

On the face of earth the while, 
And my parent heart seems sweetly blest 

By the glow of his cherub smile. 
-But soon the sky grows overcast. 

And a cloud is lowering nigh, 
For the purest joys are the soonest past, 

And the fairest flowers die. 
lyike a rose bud broken ere its bloom, 



152 RETROSPECT. 

He faded soon away, 
And the world seemed wrapped in a pall of gloom, 

And deprived of the light of day. 
Oh, I see the little sufferer now, 

With his wealth of golden hair. 
With the stamp of sickness on his brow, 

And its warning traces there; 
Aiid I mark his footprints in the sand, 

Where he strayed along the shore, 
Till he crossed the stream to the better land 

And returned to us no more. 
O, dearest Father, Heavenly One, 

Are these earthly treasures given 
And withdrawn from us ere the morning sun 

Has reached the early heaven. 
To draw us upward toward the goal 

Where thy richest glories rest. 
Where the good of years, and the infant soul 

In a home with Thee are blest ? 
Then let us cease at once to weep 

For the cherub gone before. 
Where the angel bands their watches keep 

And beckon across the shore. 



Freedom's Spirit 



When o'er earth's primeval features 

Shone the youthful orb of day, 
And among all living creatures, 

Man was called to hold the sway; 
Freedom's spirit — gift from heaven, 

God bestowed upon mankind, 
And this gift, divinely given, 

Dwells within the human mind. 
Persecutions, fierce and lasting, 

Stained with crime and cruel death, 
lyike Sirocco breezes blasting, 

All before their poisonous breath, 
Oft have claimed complete dominion, 

O'er the hearts and minds of men; 
But behold how free opinion 

Rent the fetters loose again ! 
See, the martyrs firm and daring 

Stood unyielding at the stake — 



153 



I 54 FREEDOM S SPIRIT. 

Fiery pains and torment bearing 

Boldly for their freedom's sake; 
And though wrong and force combining 

May attempt to rule the free, 
Their incessant undermining 

Will not wreck sweet liberty. 
For the hand that freely sent it, 

From the eternal throne on high, 
With its sacred blessings lent it 

Powers of life that never die. 



Labor 



To work and break the earth's green sod 

Is yielding to the will of God; 

To labor will no man disgrace — 

The hardened hand and sunburnt face 

Are real honors nobly won, 

By toiling neath the summer's sun. 

The man who ploughs the stubborn soil, 

Or earns his bread by daily toil, 

Is worthier far than those who play, 

Or lounge life's precious hours away. 

For such, indeed, are drones no earth, 

Scarce worthy of a name or birth. 

'Tis labor both on sea and land — 

'Tis labor ^by the mind or hand 

That should, at all times, truly be 

The ensign of nobility. 

'Tis work, indeed, when well applied. 



155 



156 LABOR. 

Turns mountain streams far out, aside, 

And makes their rocky beds unfold 

Their valued ores and grains of gold. 

It levels mountains, rocks and hills, 

And valleys deep and wide it fills, 

Sends news upon the lightning's wings. 

And iron chains o'er rivers flings. 

Cities by its power arise. 

With domes which stretch to meet the skies, 

And columns reared in ancient days 

Proclaim its power and sound its praise. 

Since time's swift waves began to roll, 

'Till heaven's expanse is but a scroll, 

There has not been, nor will there be 

A glorious deed from labor free. 

It woos sweet sleep, it gives us health — 

It opens wide the gate to wealth. 

And wins full many a precious prize 

That never meets the sluggard's eyes. 

Then work, ye youths of ardent mind, 

With scythe and spade, and thought combined; 



LABOR. 157 

And if you would in lifetime be 
Enlisted with the great and free, 
Seek for that wisdom letters yield, 
Nor scorn the labors of the field. 



Discernment 



Man walks in his regal pride today, 

He counts the stars in the Milky Way 

And tells how the planets their courses run, 

As they circle round the glorious sun. 

He studies the ocean, rocks and air. 

And would gladly have science lay everything bare; 

But strive as he may, he surely will find. 

There are things which are sealed to the finite mind. 

Today, the woods, with a glow untold. 

Wear a crimson garment flecked with gold; 

And we say, 'tis the work of the Master's hand 

That spreads this glory o'er the autumn land; 

But O, I ask, do we know the way 

How He formed the orb which gives us day ? 

How He paints this lovely world of ours, 

And decks the fields with the grass and flowers ? 

A tiny seed is dropped in the ground, 

The rain drops fall, the days go 'round — 

IS8 



DISCERNMENT. 1 59 

The sunshine makes the seed bulb swell, 

It springs from the earth, but who can tell. 

All there is to know of the magic birth 

Of the grass and the grain, and the flowers of earth ? 

Ah, who can make one seed 'twill grow 

Or form one flake of the pearly snow ? 

Can we tell all there is of a human tear 

Which drops from the eye on a loved ones bier ? 

Do we know how the throb of a human heart 

Makes a sigh to rise or a tear to start ? 

We gaze on a man in his lusty pride. 

And tomorrow we say the man has died; 

For his heart is still — he breathes no breath — 

The change seems strange — we call it death; 

But O, I ask for a seer so wise. 

As to show unto me where the mystery lies: 

Do we know what it was which gave control ? 

Can we measure the po^^fer of the human soul ? 

Ah me, when the balmy south wind blows. 

Do we know whence it came, can we tell where it goes? 

Do we know all there is of the faintest note 



l6o DISCERNMENT. 

Which trills from the tiny blue birds throat ? 
We gaze on the moon when it rises high 
And mark the dome of the vaulted sky, 
But say, is this arch of the azure blue 
An open book unto me and you ? 
When the storm has passed, before our eyes 
On the clouds are stamped the rainbow dyes; 
Can we tell all there is of the promised bow ? 
O, our finite minds, how little we know ! 
Do we know all there Is of the evening stars, 
Can we pierce the gates of the heavenly bars ? 
O, our heavenly Father, thus we pray, 
May the eye of faith make clear the way; 
'Mid all these clouds of doubts and gloom, 
Our ignorant hearts and minds illume; 
Grant to us all, Thy spiritual light. 
And guide our wayward thoughts aright. 



The Coniin^ of the &rs 

Written in 1852 when the building of the 
Albany and Susquehanna railroad was being 
agitated. 

Hail ! all hail the glorious time, 
When the rail-car's welcome chime 
Shall resound from hill to hill, 
Throughout the vale of Cobleskill. 

May Green Erin's sons come forth. 
Break the rock and dig the earth, 
And stamp the power of skill and toil 
Plainly on our fertile soil. 

May the steam's propelling aid 
Soon be here indeed displayed; 
May the vapors soon be curled, 
And we be ushered to the world. 

Hasten, O thou glorious time. 
When the East and Western clime. 
Shall be joined by one more chain 
Which forever shall remain. 



161 



1 62 THE COMING OF THE CARS. 

Then long buried powers shall be 
Aroused into their energy — 
Then, althoug'h a little late, 
We will honor New York State. 

Hasten, O thou welcome day. 
When the engine's mighty sway 
Shall be felt and seen indeed, 
Here where sure its aid we need. 

Here, where nature has done much, 
But art scarce felt us with its touch; 
Here, where silence ne'er is broke, 
By the gliding rail-car's stroke. 

Where that sound would quickly start 
A thrill of joy in every heart, 
And there would most surely be 
A general day of jubilee. 

When hats would wave and 'kerchiefs fly, 
And shouts be echoed to the sky. 
If we could hear a mystic humming. 
And know the cars, in fact, were coming. 



Oar Cl\ristmas Stor^ 

Each age has its martyrs and men of renown, 
Each country its heroes with laurels to crown; 
And the stories we read set our bosoms aglow, 
With the thought of their valor, or tale of their woe; 
We read of the time of the holy crusades, 
When lances were lifted and glistened the blades, 
To wrest from the grasp of Mohammedan sway 
The tomb of the Savior we worship today; 
Then the hosts of all Europe arose to the work, 
And the war cry was raised of "Death to the Turk;" 
Then, cohorts were booted and spurred for the fight, 
And the tocsin resounded, **To arms for the right;" 
Ah! those were the days when the noble of name. 
In the shock of the battle sought glory and fame; 
And who can forget the field of Waterloo, 
Where the soldiers of France stood valiant and true ? 
Ah! the world stood aghast — the world held its breath. 
As the gallant "Old Guard" charged down to their 
death; 

163 



164 OUR CHRISTMAS STORY. 

They died in the battle, their leader to save 

From defeat by the foemen, as perish the brave; 

And our land and country abundantly yields 

Rich stories of valor from its battle fields: 

Valley Forge has its tale of sadness and woe, 

Where the blood of our soldiers becrimsoned the snow. 

As they suffered from hunger and cold winter sleet, 

Half clad on their backs, and no shoes on their feet! 

O patriot hearts — O bravest of sires, 

You gave up your blood to light lyiberty's fires; 

We hail you, we greet you, we call you our own. 

The grandest of men the world has yet known; 

The light of your deeds and valor sublime 

Forever shall glow down the arches of Time. 

You died for your country, our blessings to give, 

You died that the spirit of Freedom might live. 

But the story we tell is more ^/onderful far 

Than the tales of the brave and valiant in war; 

We tell of a world which was ruined and lost — 

Of a world to be saved, whatever the cost! 

So the Savior came down from mansions on high. 



OUR CHRISTMAS STORY. 1 65 

To live on the earth — then suffer and die, 

To restore a lost race to the favor of God 

By the path of the Cross, which He willingly trod; 

So we shout "All Hosanna" to the Savior and King, 

Who came to the earth, such blessings to bring. 

O, the story we tell of the sweet Christmas-tide, 

Is holier far than all others beside; 

How the angels sang anthems of joy and delight, 

'Neath Palestine's sky that clear Christmas night, 

And the star of the East kept pointing the way, 

'Til it came to the spot where the dear infant lay; 

And there it stood still, as if it would speak, 

"Come worship this child — the Savior you seek." 

O well might the angels with melody sing, 

And the wise of the East their offerings bring. 

For there in the manger with no banner unfurled 

lyay the infantile Hero and King of the world. 

O bells, sound your chimes, on the day of His birth, 

'Til the joyful acclaim encircles the earth; 

Peace on earth — Peace on earth, good will unto men, 

I^et this be our motto as the seraphs sang then: 




*' O well might the Angels with melody sing, 
And the wise of the East their offerings bring. 



OUR CHRISTMAS STORY. l6y 

But our story leads on to the shore of Gallilee, 

Where Christ taught the people by the side of the sea, 

To the doors of the temple — to the homes of the poor 

He journeyed to heal, and the lame ones to cure. 

And away to the tomb where I^azarus lay, 

In the slumber of death — inanimate clay; 

O, hark all ye nations, hear the Savior proclaim, 

"Lazarus come forth and be living again;" 

He hears the sweet voice the Savior extends, 

And rises to life — restored to his friends ! 

O, immaculate Savior — of unlimited power, 

Who could doubt your divinity after this hour ? 

O, this is the hero we worship today. 

May our hearts all respond to His merciful sway. 

In the midst of rejoicing and Christmas delight, 

lyct us turn in our gaze to Calvary's height; 

See the Savior uplifted to ransom our race! 

O, the climax of love — to die in our place! 

Blessed Christ, may we place our affections on Thee, 

Who died on the cross that we might be free. 

And today let this story of devotion untold. 



l68 OUR CHRISTMAS STORY. 

Over all of the Earth in chorus be rolled. 
O, martyr sublime — O, Savior and King, 
This day unto Thee our homage we bring; 
Hark! the angels are singing their anthems again, 
And the shepherds are watching on Bethlehem's plain; 
And the star moves on and is pointing the way 
To the Savior — the Savior on this Christmas day; 
O God, may we follow — keep close to the light, 
Like the men of the East on the first Christmas night; 
'Til the Savior we find, on whom we depend, 
Our Hero, our Martyr, Defender and Friend. 



Dedication Poem 



[Read at the dedication of the Sabbath School room in the 

new M. B. Church in Cobleskill, July 8th, 1894, by 

Miss Susan Armstrong.] 

We come in Thy courts this day with rejoicing, 

And give thanks, heavenly Father, alone unto Thee, 
And with lips, and with organ our praises are voicing, 

For the joy which we feel, and the things which we 
see. 
Abroad in the meadows the larks are now singing. 

In the blush of the morn of these beautiful days, 
And the groves, and the woodland are merrily ringing 

With the carols of birds giving anthems of praise; 
For the winter has passed, and the summer arising 

With its noontide of glory, new pleasure imparts. 
And decks the whole land with a beauty surprising, 

And stirs up the fountain of love in our hearts; 
And now, heavenly Father, with Thy blessings unceas- 
ing, 

And Thy hand guiding us all of these days, 

169 



1^0 DEDICATION POEM. 

May our love and our faith be ever increasing — 

More earnest and greater be growing our praise. 
One year has but passed since in roughness were lying 

Piles of timber and stone uncouth to the eye, 
But workmen soon came, the tools were soon flying; 

And a church was upbuilding with others to vie; 
Summer merged into Autumn, Winter came with its 
sadness. 
Frost bound the rivers, and cold grew the air, 
But the workmen toiled on with devotion and gladness 
This house to erect, and this room to prepare: 
'Til turn our eyes which way we may, 

The scene is fair before us, 
For beauty rests where'er they stray. 

And frescoed walls are o'er us. 
lyook up, look out, behold the scene; 

These things are not a vision. 
These gilded domes are not a dream, 

'Though decked with shades elysian; 
For loyal men and women too. 
Forsaking worldly pleasure, 



DEDICATION POEM. I7I 

Have labored long, and labored true 

And given of their' treasure; 
And youthful hearts, and little hands 

Have clasped with those of older, 
And marched along in solid bands, 

With shoulder unto shoulder, 
To rear these walls knd swing in air 

The bell now hanging o'er us, 
Whose mellow cadence calls to prayer 

With loud and pleading chorus. 
O heavenly Father, hear us now, 

And grant us our petition; 
Before Thy throne we humbly bow 

In meek and deep contrition; 
The errors of the past forgive, 

And in the future guide us; 
Enable us to rightly live, 

And with Thy grace provide us; 
So lead us, I^ord, that we may lead 

According to Thy will. 
And closely watch, and kindly feed. 



1/2 DEDICATION POEM. 

And keep from worldly ill 
The little ones whose wayward feet 

Shall tread within this room, 
Now decked with garlands rare and sweet 

And robed with summer bloom ; 
For unto Thee and them this day, 

This room we dedicate; 
Bless them, bless us, bless all we pray 

Who come within its gate. 



Lir\es to a Friend on Per Departure for California 
in 1555 

Farewell to thee lady! farewell unto thee! 
May fortune attend thee to lands o'er the sea; 
May the sail flow gently that bears thee away, 
And the waters beneath it but tranquilly play; 
And oft when the moon, like a queen in the sky, 
Bedecks with its silver the oceans green dye, 
And the stars that smile sweetly from heaven on thee, 
Seem setting like diamonds in the waves of the sea. 
May you gaze on the scene in the fullness of health. 
And long share this blessing which is greater than 
wealth. 

Farewell to thee, lady! we never can know, 

What's before us in life of joy or of woe: 

We know not the changes a year may bring forth, 

So fleeting and fickle are things of the earth, 

But we trust that the guardian Power above 

Will give thee sweet friendship, enjoyment and love; 

173 



1/4 LINES TO A FRIEND. 

May thy pathway in life be strewed with gay flowers, 
That are culled from the shade of pleasures green 

bowers, 
And O, may contentment its influence lend 
To crown the pure joy of our highly prized friend. 

Farewell to thee, lady! farewell for a while; 
How sad it now seems to lose thy gay smile; 
Now soon we must miss the sweet tone of thy voice- — 
'Though fate has decreed it, it is not our choice; 
For an accent of kindness is hung on each word. 
And thy music flows gently, like the song of a bird. 
The feeling that friendship instills in the heart. 
Makes us sad when we think thou wilt quickly depart. 
But since thou must go, we wish thee * ' good bye, ' ' 
Though that sorrowful word awakens a sigh. 

Farewell to thee, lady! farewell we all say, 
We only can wish thee good luck on the way;] 
May each sun as it sinks in the ocean's broad breast, 
And bedecks with its gold the sky in the west. 
But rise in the morn with a glittering ray. 



LINES TO A FRIEND. 175 

And roll on in its splendor the whole of the day: 
For we crave for thee pleasure by land and by sea, 
And we trust that no ill will happen to thee; 
For we feel in our hearts what we earnestly tell, 
When we say to thee, lady, we wish thee farewell. 

Farewell to thee, lady! kind lady, adieu! 
We cannot but feel a friendship for you; 
And when the wide ocean between us doth roll, 
This feeling will live in the depths of the soul; 
And oft when the steamers sweep over the sea. 
We trust we shall hear good tidings from thee; 
And may we all claim a thought of thy mind. 
When in fancy you gaze on the scenes left behind; 
For we prize the good wishes of the gentle and true, 
We value, fair lady, such beings as you. 

Farewell to thee, lady I farewell unto thee. 
Thy husband is calling from far o'er the sea; 
Go lighten his heart with the charm of thy smile. 
Which cannot but serve all care to beguile. 
Go tell him the wishes that friendship imparts, 



176 LINES TO A FRIEND. 

Are enshrined for you both in the depths of our hearts; 
And we crave that each blessing that from heaven de- 
scends 
Will be shared in full measure, by both of our friends. 
Farewell to thee, lady! farewell unto thee! 
May fortune attend thee to lands o'er the sea. 



%e ¥aves of Time 



Well the wind is blowing fierce tonight, 

And the snow is falling fast, 
But the gale will stop with the morning light 

And the storm be quickly past; 
For the waves of time keep rolling by, 

And breaking along the shore, 
So the barques they bear and the days of care 

Come back unto us no more. 
Now up on the mountain's towering crest. 

And down in the plain below. 
The snow lies thick on the earth's cold breast 

And the violets cease to grow. 
But spring will come with its balmy daj^s. 

And its mornings blushing red, 
And the snow will melt 'neath the mellow rays 

That wide o'er the earth will spread. 
And the violets, then, will grow again, 

And the trees on the mountain j^ide, 

177 



1/8 THE WAVES OF TIMe! 

Put forth their leaves in the gentle rain, 

And their naked branches hide. 
And the robins come with the thrush and sing 

The same as they did last year, 
'Till the copse and the woodland fairly ring 

With the notes we love to hear. 
For the waves of time are rolling by, 

And bearing us toward the hours 
When the sun goes down in a golden sky, 

And the earth is decked with flowers. 
Then summer soon will be wafted 'round 

With its harvests rich and rare, 
When the new made hay will press the ground 

And its odors rest on the air. 
And the farmer reap from the teeming soil 

The crops which a heavenly hand 
Has reared from the earth to reward his toil, 

And bless the whole of the land. 
Then the autumn, too, will come again. 

With its ripened corn and sheaves, 
When the chilly winds will sweep the plain 




" And the robins come with the thrush and sing 
The same as they ^id last year, 
'Till the copse and the woodland fairly ring 
With the notes we love to hear." 



l80 THE WAVES OF TIME. 

And rustle the withered leaves; 
For the waves of time keep rolling by 

With a a surging, stately tread, 
'Till we gaze on the past, and breathe a sigh 

That the years so soon are dead. 
Now a little infant lies today 

On its mother's breast asleep. 
And tomorrow a child we see at play 

With its fast and flying feet. 
One ripple more on the sea of time, 

Then a youth with a sparkling eye, 
And soon a man in his lusty prime 

Is stepping with vigor by. 
One ripple more, so slight, 'twould seem 

But the dip of a swallow's wing, 
Or the passing light of a flitting gleam. 

When the clouds their shgdows fling. 
And the man is wafted hence, away 

On the gliding stream of time, 
And his barque lies anchored in the bay 

Of a new and changeless clime. 




One ripple more on the sea of time, 
Then a youth with a sparkling eye.' 



1 82 THE WAVES OF TIME. 

'Tis ever thus on the sea of hfe 

The fleets come hurrying by, 
Though they breast the storm of the billows' strife 

Or sail 'neath a placid sky. 
When we look around we think we stand 

With our feet on the solid shore, 
And we watch the boats which are out from land 

And list to the ocean's roar; ' 

And we do not think that we are afloat 

On the rolling ocean too, 
Whose restless waves are rocking our boat. 

And bearing us out of view. 
O, Power Supreme, whose almighty will 

Bade the raging winds to cease, 
And the shrieking blasts grew soft and still, 

And the billows sank in peace; 
We ask Thy aid, and we crave Thy hand, 

To guide our crafts aright. 
So we sail along t'ward the beauteous land, 

Where the shores are always bright; 
Where a heavenly springtime always reigns 

And the violets always grow. 
For a lasting sunshine gilds the plains. 

And no seasons come or go. 



dn i\crostic 



Composing rhymes is not for me, 

Life's busy work my care; 
And yet, kind friend, I bring to thee 

Right thoughts of what our duties are. 
A voice to soothe, a heart to love, 

O these are gifts divine; 
Heaven will their lasting goodness prove. 

And may these gifts be thine. 
Devoted to the cause you love, 

Long may your life be spared; 
Ennobling all with thoughts which prove 

Your love and labor, they have shared. 



183 



^ Knight of Labor 

Ho, the steady worker is the man for me, 
And a valiant knight indeed is he: 
Ho, the worker keeps his armor bright-- 
Ho, the worker guides the shuttle right; 
And this real knight unto you I bring, 
I grant him honor and crown him king. 

The man who works with his willing hands 

And on his merit squarely stands, 

Ho, he's the knight for me. 

No midnight conclave binds his will. 

Nor holds the voice of his manhood still; 

But firm and honest, bold and true. 

He's free to speak and free to do. 

Ho, the worker moves with a steady tread. 
He pays for his home and wins his bread, 
As he moves the wheels of the business world, 
And the engine pants and its smoke is curled: 
With conscience free and his armor bright, 
He's a freeman bold — indeed a knight. 



184 



%e Pop Grower's Soi)g 

[When hops were a dollar a pound.] 

•'Come Betsy, my darling, the night is far sped 

Come hurry, I say, get out of the bed, 

And hasten the breakfast — the boys, the dear souls, 

Must go to the station, and draw our hop poles." 

"O Jacob, my husband," the wife piteously pleads, 

"I am tired and sleepy, and what is the need. 

Of calling me up in the darkness of night, 

To get a warm meal before it is light ? ' ' 

" Why Betsy, dear Betsy," the husband replies, 

" The time is all wasting — how quickly it flies! 

Come, shake off your slumber, spring up with a bound; 

When hops are commanding a dollar a pound, 

'Tis no time to be sleepy and dull in your head. 

Or lie late in the morning snoozing in bed. 

We must plow up the meadow — the wheat field the 

same. 
And the raising of hops must now be our game, 
For the wealth of the Indies will become our reward, 

185 



i86 

And we'll praise our good luck, and give thanks to 

the lyord 
For the hops we shall raise, when the hop poles are set. 
And you shall be dressed in your satins, you bet. 
The bedsteads and chairs, now dull to our view, 
Shall be broken for wood, and replaced all by new ; 
A piano that is costly and ever so nice 
Shall be purchased and placed in the house in a trice — 
The horses be decked with new harness and bells, — 
Three robes in the cutter like all of the swells. 
And the simple old ways, once our ancestors pride, 
We shall quit, and forever put entirely aside." 
Then Betsy springs up with a chirp and a smile — 
The horses are harnessed by the boys in the while — 
The breakfast is ready and swallowed in fun. 
And thus with great glee the work is begun ; 
Away for the station speed the swift flying steeds ; 
No Storm King or Krost King the farmer now heeds. 
But with whiskers all whitened, and eye brows all ice, 
He declares, "it is pleasant" and the weather "so 

nice." 



THE HOP grower's song. 1 8/ 

'Tis surprising what solace and magic is found, 
In hops, when commanding a dollar a pound L 
Arrived at the station, half frozen with cold, 
And anxious to learn if the poles are all sold, 
The agent is sought for and found on the ground ; 
Forty car loads of cedars are standing around ! 
And the question is asked, "Has ?;^)/ car load yet come? 
And if not, my dear sir, what on earth will be done? 
It was shipped from the Junction some two weeks ago ; 
Has the road, sir, been blocked with ice or with snow ? 
Will you write, will you telegraph ? Now hark what 

I say, 
I'll know what's the reason of all this delay. 
Or the company will suffer — I'll cause them to sweat. 
For I'm not to be fooled in this way, you bet, 
When hops are going up— still up with a bound. 
And last week were fetching a dollar a pomid ! ' ' 
Then another man comes, *' Well, how is it today, 
Have the hop poles yet come for Johnny Gilday ? 
Are they going to Seward ? will Hyndsville get cars? 
If not, my dear sir, why bless all my stars — 



iB8 THE HOP grower's song. 

My teams are all waiting, and have been a week, 

And I aoi so disappointed, I scarcely can speak ; 

But hurry them forward — the Lightning Express, 

Will do for my poles for this time I guess, 

But the next ones which come, must move along faster, 

Or perchance I will meet with financial disaster. 

For hops, as you know, and many have found. 

Are not always commanding a dollar a pound ! 

Well, my friends, that's a point worth laying to heart; 

And if rightly considered 'twill a lesson impart ; 

Shall the meadow be broken — shall the wheat field be 

spared. 
Or both for the culture of hop roots be bared ? 
Remember that he who makes haste to be rich, 
Quite often goes down into poverty's ditch ; 
It is better, far better to drive slowly or wait, 
Than to steam right ahead at a two-forty gait. 
And run off the track, and break the machine, 
E're the race is half run, and the mile post is seen. 



Our Country 



Here is the home of the brave and the free 
Reaching out from river and lake unto sea; 
Here, lyiberty sits enthroned on each hill 
For our country is ruled by the people's own will, 
And through the extent of our beautiful land 
Has Providence strewn with a liberal hand : 
Where Atlantic's blue waves in sunlight do glow — 
At the South where the flowers unceasingly blow 
To Oregon's wilds far away in the West, 
Where earth with rich forests still darkly is dressed , 
Are privileges, joys and comforts untold 
Inlaid with rich mines of silver and gold. 
Then sound the glad echo o'er river and sea. 
Our country is rich and we are the free: 
The American's heart for freedom beats fast. 
And leaps at the thought of scenes which are past 
For the blood of the heroes, who our liberty won. 
Has passed unsullied from father to son; 
Still brave are our soldiers — still true to the sword 

189 



190 OUR COUNTRY. 

And the voice of devotion is everywhere heard. 
Though Washington's frame now slumbers in death 
His precepts diffuse a life-giving breath; 
And though sages have died, and heroes have fell 
In the hearts of our people they ever will dwell r 
Then shout all ye freemen — ye noble by birth, 
America's star sheds light o'er the earth; 
For here in this country, all dotted with farms. 
Is the cradle of freedom protected by arms: 
Here is a shelter for all the distressed — 
A home for the poor, or greatly oppressed. 
And the stars of our flag now sparkle as bright 
As meteors which flash in the darkness of night, 
And the motto it heralds to nations afar 
Is union, and strength and triumph in war. 
Wherever an ocean its billows doth roll, 
From the point of the south, away to the pole, 
Our pennon is streaming away on the breeze 
That blows over deserts, and sweeps o'er the seas, 
Upheld to the world by a resolute band 



OUR COUNTRY. I9I 

On river and lake, on sea and on land. 

O long may its stripes in beauty display 

The power and virtue of I^iberty's sway, 

And long may its folds be proudly unfurled 

As the hope of mankind all over the world. 

Where Hungary's sons with bravery fought, 

In vain for the prize they eagerly sought. 

To the isle of Green Brin that springs from the sea, 

Our people are counted the noble and free; 

For the light of our land shines ever afar 

As a guide to the nations and beckoning star, 

To those who would fain in reality be 

From monarchs and tyrants eternally free. 

O well may we say our country is great 

And noble each portion — each section and state; 

Our rivers that flow with' swift running tide 

And seek the broad ocean, or sandy sea side, 

Bear millions of bushels of produce away, 

That ever our husbandman's toil doth repay; 

Pennsylvania's mountains send forth their dark coal, 



192 OUR COUNTRY. 

California yields its treasures of gold, 
And forests of oak and pine may be seen, 
By the side of our harvests and meadows so green; 
Railroads traverse the most of our union, 
And telegraphs furnish electric communion; 
The fluid which Franklin corked up in a bottle. 
Our people control without even a stopple. 
Yes, the lightning of heaven they make as a toy. 
And compel it to serve as the nation's postboy. 
O make the glad welkin ring loud o'er the land, 
"From forest to city, from city to strand; 
When oppression and war drove 'way from its throne, 
The noble gray eagle, the pride of old Rome, 
It scanned all Europe, and quickly it found. 
Bach country was dark, each monarch was crowned; 
Then boldly its pinions to the westward it bore. 
And alighted upon our own noble shore; 
Through scenes of carnage and bloodshed it passed. 
But came off the victor, in triumph at last. 
And though years have gone by since the glorious day 
When tyrany cowered 'neath liberty's sway, • 



OUR COUNTRY. 

When the lion of England was wrapt in its fold 
And freedom rejoiced the sight to behold, 
Its pinions still spread, and its eye is as bright 
As the sun in the sky — the fountain of light. 



193 




O, noble gray eagle — O flag of the brave — 

May thy pinions still spread — our banner still wave. 

O'er a people united, valiant and free 

From the gulf to the lakes — from sea unto sea. 



^e Changing of tk 8casoi^s 

Prepared for the harvest home festival held 
in the M. B. Church, of Cobleskill, Nov 25, 1900, 
and read by Miss Christobel Abbott. 

Once more we come with willing feet 

Within this room we love, 
To join in praise and offerings meet 

To God in Heaven above; 
And as we backward turn our gaze 

To hours now passed away, 
How fleet and fleeing seem the days, 

How transient seems their stay. 
In wintry shroud the earth lay dead 

And dumb beneath the sky, 
As time its rushing courses sped. 

And months went rolling by. 
Spring came, and with it came the bees. 

The birds, the buds and flowers, 



194 



THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS. I95 

The crimson sky, the leafy trees, 

The sunshine and the showers. 
Soon rays of summer sunlight lay 

O'er meadow, farm and field, 
And kissed the flowers, and dried the hay, 

And made the harvests yield. 
Now autumn comes unto us here. 

With train of royal brood, 
With purpled grape, and ripened ear. 

And all we need for food. 
Behold the lovely autumn leaves ! 

Behold the golden fruit ! 
Behold the glowing harvest sheaves — 

Repast for man and brute: 
Our hands are full, our hearts should be, 

Great God, of thankfulness to Thee, 
To Thee who paints the whole of earth, 

And frescoes all the sky, 
With dyes which show celestial birth 

And jewels from on high — 
To Thee, who drops from out Thy hand 



196 THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS. 

All blessings we have here, 
Who gives us homes in this fair land, 

And guards them year by 3'ear. 
Our hands are full, our hearts should be. 

Of thankfulness, Great God, to Thee. 
And now the day has come again, 

This festal time of year, 
When harvest's home — when golden graiUj 

And ripened fruit and ear 
Have filled our barns, and shall our hearts 

Not fill with love and praise, 
To Him who all this good imparts, 

And blesses all our days ? 
God of the harvest, hear us now; 

With open hand and heart. 
Of these rich gifts we humbly vow 

To give to Thee a part: 
Our hands are full, our hearts should be. 

Great God, of thankfulness to Thee. 



Cliildrcn's Day 



Written for Children's Day exercises in the 
M n. Church of Cobleskill. 

The world is now gay and rejoicing, 

And clothed in its brighest array; 
The birds and the bees are now voicing 

Their sweetest of praises today. 
In gardens the flowers are all blooming — 

In meadows the grass is all green, 
And the beauty of Heaven seems illuming 

The land with its glory and gleam. 
How good and how many the reasons. 

This loveliest time of the year^- 
This halcyon hour of the seasons. 

Should remind us of those we hold dear; 
Of our children — the dearest of treasures — 

The men and the women to be, 
The source of the sweetest of pleasures, 

Or the keenest of sorrow we see. 



197 



19^ CHILDREN*S DAY. 

How important we keep them from straying 

From the path the noble have trod. 
The warnings of conscience obeying, 

And the sacred commandments of God. 
In the world through which we are passing, 

Notwithstanding its beauty and bloom, 
There are sorrows which are keen and lasting 

There are vices and sighing and gloom; 
There are pitfalls dug deep in the roadway, 

There are whirlpools of sin they must shun 
Or their vessels will be wrecked ere the noonday 

Or perchance when the voyage is begun. 
And now when from ocean to ocean. 

Throughout the whole breadth of our land, 
The anthems of praise and devotion, 

Roll onward from strand unto strand; 
L<et us vow to be faithful and fervent, 

And watch with a tenderer care — 
And plead with the children more urgent. 

And bear them still closer in prayer 
To the breast of the Savior who loves them. 



children's day. 199 

And said as He taught by the sea, 
** Of such is the kingdom of Heaven, 

Let the little ones come unto me." 
And children, you too have a duty — 

A task that you must perform; 
Heart culture will give you true beauty — 

Pure actions preserve you from harm. 
As I think of your faces so smiling. 

And bedecked with the roses of youth, 
I ask, will sin be beguiling 

Your steps from goodness and truth ? 
O may the the good angels all guide you. 

And the Bible be ever your light; 
May God with His spirit provide you, 

And lead all your footsteps aright. 
There is merit and joy in true living — 

In goodness ther^ is comfort and peace, 
And by helping each other, and giving 

Good gifts, we our pleasure increase. 
The world is now gay and rejoicing, 

And clothed in its brightest array; 



200 CHILDREN S DAY. 

The birds and the bees are now voicing 

Their sweetest of praises today. 
In gardens the flowers are all blooming, 

In meadows the grass is all green, 
And the beauty of Heaven seems illuming 

The land with its glory and gleam ; 
But the flowers will wither and perish — 

The meadows grow barren and drear, 
And the glorious summer we cherish 

Give way to the frosts of each year. 
But only a shadow there is to divide 

This day from unending tomorrow; 
And living aright, this side of the tide. 

We much out of Heaven can borrow. 
We see not the gates nor the fields yet beyond 

Where the meadows forever are vernal. 
But thin are the walls and flimsy the veil, 

'Twixt this life and one that's eternal. 
O God, make us children — Thy children for aye 

Unto us may Thy spirit be given, 
And when from the earth we are summoned away 

Bid us welcome — all welcome in Heaven. 



there's fk Spirit 

Where's the spirit of affection 

When the heart is bought and sold ? 
When mankind with due reflection, 

Trade their love for paltry gold ? 
Black the soul and base the feeling — 

Wrong the act and mean the cause 
Which submits to such low dealing 

In defiance of God's laws — 
Which will lay the gift divine 

Humbly down on Mammon's shrine. 

Where's the spirit of religion 

Demonstrated by the life 
Of a church that's half perdition, 

Mixed up with consuming strife? 
lyike a play of mimic features, 

Semblance is the ruling part; 
Seeming pure, devoted creatures 

201 



^02 Where's the spirit ^ 

Sometimes prove but false at heart: 
But there are the meek and lowly, 
Loving souls, both pure and holy. 

Where's the spirit of redemption 

Save in Christ's own precious blood, 
Which affords a sure exemption 

From our sins' destructive flood ? 
Pope and priesthood boldly claim 

That to them the power is given 
To forgive the sins of men. 

But 'tis blasphemy of Heaven; 
Christ alone affords the way, 

lycading to eternal day. 

Where's the spirit love engenders, 
Where the Bast is red with war. 

There where Turkey's joint defenders 
Crowd to strife from lands afar ? 

Carnage ! Carnage ! is the word 
That awakes the fiery will. 



Where's the spirit? 203 

Oh, how far the cry is heard, 

Bursting forth from vale and hill: 
Human blood must yet be shed — 

Fields must still be strewn with dead. 

Where's the spirit born of freedom, 

In a part of our own land, 
Where men bow to those who lead them, 

In a tame submissive band ? 
Oh, our eagle's spreading pinions 

Bear the seal by bondage set. 
And our fairest, loved dominions 

Sadly dim our coronet : 
Yes, upon our nation's crest 

Slavery's blot in safety rests. 

Come, ye men who worship riches, 

Bid the syren soon depart; 
There is not in earth's possessions, 

Treasures worth a loving heart. 
And ye fighting hosts of Europe, 

May your conflicts soon be done; 



204 Where's the spirit? 

You in future will not rue It, ' 

lyive like brethren 'npath the sun: 
Peace ! yes, peace alone imparts 

Sacred joy to human hearts. 

Come, O Pope, and Roman priesthood. 

Mend your sacrilegious ways; 
God alone can work out good — 

His the glory, power and praise. 
And ye curtained sons of evil, 

L^ay aside your glossy mask; 
Cease to serve and please the devil, 

And commence a nobler task: 
Strive, O strive, to win a gem 

lyike unto Christ's diadem. 

And my country — priceless home. 
My soul exults o'er all of thee, 

Though here beneath our mildest zone, 
Mankind are not all wise and free; 

Sons of freemen, come, restrain 
Slavery's progress from the west: 



Where's the spirit? 205 

Wipe the dark, disgraceful stain 

Sometime from our nation's breast: 
Freedom here should have its throne, 

Freedom ! freedom ! that alone. 

Written before the abolition of slavery and 
during the Turkish war. 



Our Loved Ones' Graves 

O, where shall the graves of our loved ones be? 
Where is heard the sound of the deep-toned sea ; 
Where the grass of the valley and wild flowers grow, 
O'er the forms of the friends who are sleeping below ; 
Where affection shall drop a heartfelt tear, 
In remembrance of those our bosoms held dear ; 
Where we shall pour forth our feelings in prayer, 
And weep o'er our friends so lovely and fair. 

O, where shall the graves of our loved ones be? 
Where the wild winds sweep in deep melody ; 
Where the dark shades of evening shall silently throw 
A shadow of sadness — an emblem of woe ; 
Where the sweet forest stream as it murmurs along, 
Sings a sorrowful dirge for the loved who are gone ; 
Where soft notes of mourning may never be heard 
And the air in low music is constantly stirred. 
O, where shall the graves of our loved ones be? 
'Neath the shades of the elm and green willow tree ; 

206 



OUR LOVED ONES GRAVES 20/ 

Where our tears shall bedew the lily that grows 
O'er their forms, along with the myrtle and rose ; 
Where at closing of day we may silently kneel, 
And tell to sweet Heaven the sorrow we feel. 
And nought shall disturb the peace of their rest, 
'Til their spirits shall come from the land of the blest. 

O, where shall the graves of our loved ones be ? 
Where all that surrounds is from mirthfulness free ; 
Where the sun beams softly, and the cypress waves, 
In tokens of mourning over their graves ; 
Where we shall sweet flowers and offerings bring. 
And over their graves with reverence fling ; 
Where all of the emblems which by nature are given, 
Remind us of them, and point us to Heaven. 



Early HistorY of fk dlbany and 
Sasqachanna I(ailroad 



ITS KARI,Y FINANCIAI, STRUGGI^KS, FIRST BOARD OF 

DIRECTORS , AND FIRST OFFICERS. SOME OF THE 

EARI,Y D. & H. company's MEN. 

BY THE AUTHOR. 

Looking out over the valley today, watching the 
ponderous engines of the D. & H. Co. pulling the 
heavy trains eastward and westward, my mind has 
been carried back to the days of my youth, and the 
unpleasant experiences attendant upon a journey from 
Cobleskill to Albany, prior to the building of the Al- 
bany and Susquehanna Railroad have been the sub- 
ject of my thought. 

Then a journey to Albany with a load of farm pro- 
duce, was an event of as much importance, and re- 
quired more elaborate preparation than a journey to 
Omaha, Nebraska, does now. The good farmers' wives 
of those days went bustling about the house the day 
before the journey was to be made, frying doughnuts, 
cooking sausages, and baking bread, whilst the farmer 
and his sons were putting up the grain or apples for 

208 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 2O9 

market. In the evening the food prepared for lunch- 
eon for the three days' trip to Albany and back, was 
packed by the good wife into the dinner box, whilst 
*' the man of the house " was busy at the barn pack- 
ing a huge bundle of hay, and binding it with strong 
bands made by twisting rye straw into coils for rope. 
This done, and secured upon the load to avoid the 
purchase of feed for the horses whilst upon the trip, 
the wagon greased, and the dinner box placed safely 
on board, all was ready for a start in the morning be- 
fore daylight. I will not recount the horrible details 
of a three days' pilgrimage to Albany and back, 
through mud and rain, slush and snow, trudging part 
way on foot or seated upon the soft side of a barrel of 
apples. There are those living yet, to whom this al- 
lusion will bring unpleasant recollections of their 
youth and young manhood. But the time was ap- 
proaching when all this was to be changed. For 
years, the iron horse, steam-fed and harnessed, had 
been hauling long trains of cars eastward through the 
Mohawk valley, laden with the produce of the fertile 
prairies, and bearing the merchandise and manufac- 
tures of the east westward. 

Farm lands which had ranged from $25.00 to $40.00 
per acre prior to the building of the New York Cen- 
tral railroad, had increased in value to $75.00 and 
$100 00 per acre, and there was not lacking in the 
valley of the Susquehanna men with the vigilance to 



2IO EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

note the change, and the business sagacity to see that 
what had been done in the Mohawk, could afso be 
done in the Susquehanna valley. With the trains of 
the Erie railroad sweeping past Binghamton on the 
west, and those of the New York Central gliding 
through Albany on the east, with the shrill blasts of 
the Jocomotives resounding up the valley at each end, 
the years for the sway of the lumbering farm wagon 
and slow stage coach in this part of the state were be- 
ing numbered. Yet long years of unappreciated toil, 
persevering energy and tireless work were to be per- 
formed by some men, before the battle was fought and 
victory won. Prominent among the men of that day 
with the necessary brain to appreciate the importance 
of constructing a railroad from Albany to Binghamton, 
were Kdward C. Delevan and Robert H. Pruyn, of Al- 
bany, Geo. W. Chase, of Maryland, Elakim R. Ford, 
of Oneonta, Arnold B. Watson, of Unadilla, Edward 
Thompson and Senator Dominick, of Binghamton, 
Jared Goodyear, of Colliersville, John Cook, of Wor- 
cester, John Westover, of Richmondville, Minard 
Harder, Charles Courter and Joseph H. Ramsey, of 
Cobleskill. Doubtless there are other names which 
should be inserted upon this roll of honor, but they do 
not occur to me now. All of these early railroad 
pioneers have gone from this world to the next, but 
the most of them lived to see the creation of their faith 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 211 

and brain a reality, and to receive the praise and bless- 
ing of some who opposed them in their labors. 

The company was first organized in the year 1852, 
at a meeting held in Oneonta, and Edward C. Delevan 
chosen president. From this time may be dated the 
birth of the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad Com- 
pany. With a board of directors chosen, ofiicers se- 
lected and subscription books opened, the company 
was in position to send its representatives among the 
people soliciting subscriptions to the stock. This 
work was vigorously prosecuted by the holding of 
public meetings at which the merits of the enterprise 
were discussed, and by personal application and appeal 
at the homes of the people, by the directors and agents 
of the company, and fair progress made, but the mag- 
nitude and cost of the work was to be so great, that it 
soon became apparent that sufficient money to build 
and equip the road could not be raised by individual 
subscription. Accordingly the friends of the enter- 
prise formulated a bill and presented it to the Assem- 
bly of the State at the session of 1855 authorizing the 
towus along the line of the proposed road to subscribe 
to tiie stock of the company. This bill passed the 
Assembly but was defeated in the Senate. The next 
year a bill passed both branches of the legislature, re- 
quiring as a condition to the subscription, the consent 
in writing of two-thirds of the taxpayers of the town. 
The next year, 1857, the bill was amended, requiring 



212 EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

the consent of a majority of the taxpayers, represent- 
ing a majority of the taxable property of the towns, 
as the bill had been at first drafted. This bill was 
signed by Governor John A. King. By thorough 
canvassing and earnest work by the friends of the 
road, the necessary consent was obtained, and the 
towns became subscribers to the stock of the company. 
After the subscription of the towns, and that of the 
city of Binghamton to the stock of the company to the 
extent of one million dollars was obtained, the con- 
struction of the road was commenced, and an applica- 
tion made to the legislature of the State for aid, and a 
bill authorizing it passed by both branches. This bill 
was vetoed by Governor Morgan in 1859, but the 
friends of the road were not disheartened and at the 
session of 1863 a bill making an appropriation from 
the State of a half million dollars to complete the road 
to Oneonta was passed, and approved by that friend of 
the farmer and internal improvements. Governor 
Horatio Seymour. 

Ivet the present and all future generations, who en- 
joy the pleasures and advantages of a well equipped 
and managed railroad, revere his memory. 

Subsequently another appropriation was made by 
the State of $250,000 to complete the road to Broome 
county, and the bill authorizing it signed by Governor 
Reuben K. Fenton. My recollection is that in addi- 
tion to these great financial aids the company secured 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 213 

a loan of one million dollars frotij the city of Albany. 
It is impossible for me to trace the company through 
all its financial embarrassments, but one thing I must 
say to the young men of this day, that the struggle 
made by the pioneers of this enterprise in overcoming 
individual and organized opposition, in obtaining the 
right of way, the consent of the taxpayers to the 
bonding of the towns, and state aid, was a work which 
required all the energy, the perseverence and the pa- 
tience of a Courter, a Harder and a Ramsey on this 
part of the line, and their compeers and equals along 
the route. 

In the obtaining of aid from the State, Joseph H. 
Ramsey as a member of the legislature, likely contrib- 
uted more than any other man, but to those champions 
and co-workers in a noble cause, let equal honor be 
given : 

Hail, men of noble thought and deed, 
Your work supplied our greatest need ; 
Accept the homage which we bring. 
Not thoughtless, light, or trifling. 
But sincere praise which swells and starts. 
From the deep reeess of thankful hearts. 

The road was completed to Central Bridge, and the 
first passenger train run to that place, on the 12th day 
of September, 1863. Engineer Thomas Harden was 
in charge of the locomotive pulling the train, broad 
shouldered, brusque McCormick baggageman, the 



214 EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

lively little Johnny Clow, express messenger, and 
that prince of conductors, ** Billy " Gardner, the con- 
ductor in charge of the train. 

The author of this article commenced his service 
with the company in the month of October succeeding, 
and from that time forward will speak from personal 
recollection. Matters relating to the organization of 
the company and financial projects in its aid have 
been stated upon the authority of one of the pioneers 
of the road, now dead, but one who when living stood 
at the helm of affairs, and entirely reliable. Among 
the prominent characters connected with the track de- 
partment of the road at that time, rises up before me 
Chief Engineer C. W. Wentz, who had been the en- 
gineer in charge of the work from its inception. Who, 
that ever looked upon his massive head and powerful 
physique, would have dreamed that his intellect would 
ever become clouded and weak ? Yet such was the 
case at the close of his career, until death, or rather 
birth into the world eternal, gave him clear intellect 
and mental vision. Next in this department loom up 
the stalwart figures of Mike Dorsey and R. H. Lane. 

The first with his mild gray eyes, stolid but freindly 
countenance still swaying the rod of authority over 
the northern division of the Delaware & Hudson 
with headquarters at Saratoga. The latter for a long 
time a resident of Cobleskill, died in the hospital at 
Albany a few years ago. True, time and exposure to 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAlLROAt). 2l^ 

Storm and wind during his long years of service, had 
wrinkled his face and dimmed his eye, but always true 
to the company he served, he ranked in life among its 
most efficient and trusted track men. 

With them come visions of Col. N. Coryell, at one 
time paymaster on the Albany & Susquehanna and 
bridge superintendent ; a strict disciplinarian, but al- 
ways the courtly gentleman, and of huge H. Patter- 
son, who still lives in Albany and has charge of the 
D. & H. company's track material. Only a few days 
ago I had the pleasure of grasping the hand of this 
' * old timer ' ' and its warm pressure took me back in 
memory to 1863. 

W. ly. M. Phelps, Esq., was the first treasurer of 
the company and still remains so. Indeed, I believe 
he has been their secretary and treasurer continuously 
from the organization of the company, with the ex- 
ception of a brief period during which the road was in 
the hands of Robt. L,. Banks, of Albany, as receiver. 
Among my early friends on the road, one who cheered 
me on in my way, and always spoke kind words tome, 
comes the thought of Geo. W. Church, our first Gen- 
eral Freight Agent. A poor boy himself, he had 
worked his way from ordinary freight clerk, up to the 
head of the freight department of this new road, and 
he looked down in sympathy to the toilers below who 
would faithfully work and strive to win. S. K. Mayo 
was appointed the first General Passenger Agent of 



2l6 EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

the road, and superintendent of telegraph. Blessed be 
his memory, and dear to every employe's heart who 
worked under him. For several seasons he spent his 
evenings in summer in Cobleskill. 

The friendly grasp of his hand and beaming light of 
his eye will be rememtered by some of our residents 
and others who see these lines. He, too, for many 
years has been gone to the home " beyond the river." 
Gone but not forgotten. 

James M. Foster was the first station agent at Cen- 
tral Bridge, and a more genial and capable man than 
he is rarely if ever found. He retained his position 
until the spring of 1865, when the road having been 
completed to Richmond ville, he was transferred to that 
station, and the writer of this article made his succes- 
sor. I think I am paying him only a deserved com- 
pliment, when I say, that notwithstanding all the per- 
plexities of his position at the terminal station of the 
road, during the year and a half I labored under him, 
he only gave me one cross word. He subsequently en- 
gaged in banking business at Richmondville, and after 
an honorable and successful career as a banker, died at 
that place. Cobleskill Station was opened for business 
on the first day of January, 1865, and our respected 
fellow townsman. Colonel Alonzo Ferguson, appointed 
the agent. This gentleman retained the place until the 
succeeding October,' when he resigned, and the author 
of this article was sent on from Central Bridge to take 
charge, and remained in charge until the ist day of 
April, 190 1, a period of nearly 36 years. For his as- 
sistant in the office Col. Ferguson had Allison Kibbee. 
For his helpers in the freight house, German Boyce 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 21/ 

and Asa W. Phelps. My readers will remember, Mr. 
Boyce died from sickness while a resident of this vil- 
lage, and poor Phelps fell a victim to his own careless- 
ness, being crushed by the cars whilst attempting to 
cross the track underneath the train. 

Allison Kibbee went to New York City. He died in 
Brooklyn, and his remains were brought to Cobleskill, 
and laid to rest in the village cemetery. 

Among the superintendents of the Albany and Sus- 
quehanna Railroad, I recall, first, Jonathan R. Her- 
rick, at one time a merchant at lyawyersville. Subse- 
quently he removed to Albany, where he died. I hold 
his memory sacred and gratefully remember, that as a 
member of the executive committee of the board of di- 
rectors, he gave the casting ballot which secured my 
promotion to the position of station agent at Central 
Bridge. Next in order came Geo. R. Skinner, of Os- 
wego, who granted my request to be transferred to 
Cobleskill upon the resignation of Col. Ferguson. 
Well do I remember Supterintendent Skinner's salu- 
tation to me one morning at Central Bridge. I had 
thoughtlessly dumped a pan of coal ashes upon the 
track in front of the station, at the time the eastward 
and westward bound passenger trains passed there, 
and a lady dressed in black silk, having occasion to 
pass from one train to another swept her magnificent 
robe right through that pile of ashes. Skinner stood 
upon the platform of one of the coaches and saw it all. 
"Who dumped that pile of ashes there?" was the 
morning salute which rang in my ears. " I did, sir," 
was my reply. "It is a confounded slovenly trick, 
sir, and don't you do it again," was his warning an- 
swer, and I never did. The next superintendent was 



21 8 EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

J. W. Vanvalkenburgh. Heavy eye-browed, with 
piercing eyes and massive, overhanging forehead, short 
neck, deep chest, broad shoulders, and limbs as supple 
and wiry as those of an athlete, he looked the very 
man who could run a railroad, ride a wild mustang, or 
throw Jim Fisk over the railing and down stairs, and 
rumor says he did it during the Brie war. 

His successor was H. A. Fonda, the ** Mohawk 
Dutchman," as he was called, with long, lank, lean 
body, and sallow countenance, looking more like a 
sickly Methodist clergyman than a railroad superin- 
tendent, but a man with a warmer heart, a truer friend, 
or more economical manager of a railroad, I never 
knew. With him came the friendly, honorable, Julien 
Clark as his assistant, and the genial and magnetic H. 
S. Morse, as superintendent of telegragh and train de- 
spatctier. This gentleman became our next superin- 
tendent, and continued in the position until succeeded 
by C. D. Hammond, the present superintendent of the 
D. & H. Company's Susquehanna and Northern divi- 
sions of road. Of H. S. Morse let me say he was kind 
to his employes, and courteous to the public; in short, 
a gentleman. After leaving the road he went South 
and became interested in the construction and manage- 
ment of railroads in Georgia for several years, and 
then came North and retired upon his farm near 
Westfield in Chautauqua county, N. Y. Here he 
died. Blessed be his memory. A nobler man, or 
truer friend never lived. Julien Clark, after battling 
for years with that fatal disease, consumption, died 
almost at his post and passed '' over the river." 

The successors to Mr. Mayo in the paSvSenger de- 
partment of the road have been, I think in order: H. 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 2l9 

M. Watson, Joseph Angell, the late D. M. Kendrick 
and the present incumbent, J. W. Burdick. 

In the freight department Geo. W. Church was suc- 
ceeded by Mr. H. S. Marcey, of the Rensselear and 
Saratoga division, with Dudley Farlin as his assistant. 
Mr. Marcey was subsequently made general traffic 
manager of the company, and Mr. Farlin the general 
freight agent. Both of these men have passed on to 
join the great majority in the world eternal. 

Mr. Farlin was succeeded by James Colhoun, with 
Paul Wadsworth, the present efficient general freight 
agent of the D. & H., as his assistant. 

Looking back to 1863, I see a galaxy of stalwart, 
alert and energetic men, as the directors and officers of 
the Albany & Susquehanna Railroad Company. Look- 
ing about me today, I see only a quartette of those 
I then knew. 

W. L. M. Phelps, R. C. Blackall, Mike Dorsey and 
H. Patterson are only left of the men prominently 
identified with the mangement of the road at that time. 

O robber, old time, of the friends who were mine, 

You've taken full many a score, 
And I feel I'm bereft so few are there left, 

Of the friends and comrades of yore. 

But I must hasten. - Let us turn to the year 1869. 
This was an important era in the history of the road. 
The road had been completed to Oneonta in the sum- 
mer of 1865, and was vigorously carried forward. The 
tunnel of 2.260 feet at Coles Hill, near|Harpersville, was 
being bored, and the month of January, 1869, found 
the road completed and trains running from Albany to 
Bingham ton. 



220 EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

Thus after a period of nearly sixteen years of con- 
stant toil and struggle, hampered by financial embar- 
rassment, and opposed by some who should have been 
ready to aid, the heroic men who led in the enterprise 
saw the realization of their faith and hopes. The Al- 
bany and Susquehanna railroad was completed. 

With the shrill blasts of the locomotive whistle re- 
verberating from mountain side to mountain side, 
throughout the whole valley of the Susquehanna, the 
Rip Van Winkle spell which had bound the ' ' seques- 
tered region" had long been broken, and it needed not 
the eye of a railroad seer to perceive, that the Albany 
and Susquehanna railroad formed the missing link in 
the Erie chain, necessary to unite it with the New 
England roads, New England seaboards, and the great 
hub of the country, Boston. What wonder then that 
the sagacious Jay Gould, the great railroad magnate 
of that day, and James Fisk, Jr., the genial, dashing, 
audacious spirit of Wall street and the Erie railway, 
should have looked with longing and wistful eyes over 
into our valley, at the young railroad lamb and de- 
sired to bring it into their fold. Such was the case, 
and so in 1869 we find them quietly securing the stock 
of the Albany and Susquehanna railroad, with the in- 
tent of securing the control of the road at the ap- 
proaching election. The different steps, legal and 
otherwise, taken by them to secure this object, and 
meaus employed by those opposed to them to prevent 
it, are too voluminous and minute to be recited in this 
article, and the reader is referred to Roscoe's History 
of Schoharie County, page 439, for a succint account 
of the preliminary steps taken by the two parties. 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 221 

The year 1869 was fraught with important events, 
and a season of conflict and turmoil within the board 
of Directors. Indeed, it was a house divided against 
itself, and the faction known as the Erie party com- 
menced an action to remove Mr. Ramsey from the 
presidency of the road, and obtained an order from 
Judge Barnard, of New York, restraining him from 
the discharge of his official duties. Then Judge Rufus 
W. Peckham, of Albany, vacated, or so modified this 
order as to allow him to appear, and show cause why 
this should not be done. During the pendency of 
these proceedings, and the legal skirmishing growing 
out of them, the rival factions, with their rival Su- 
preme Court Judges, succeeded in having the road 
placed in the hands of rival receivers, and as the mili- 
tary phrase is, there was skirmishing * ' all along the 
line." As a result counter orders were being con- 
stantly sent out over the telegraph wires, and con- 
veyed by trains to the employes of the road. 

One now before me reads: 

*' To the Officers and Employes of the Albany 
and Susquehanna Railroad, 

" Take Notice. — By an order of the Supreme Court, 
made August 6th, 1869, we are duly appointed re- 
ceivers of the property^ franchises and effects of said 
road, and by the same are authorized to take posses- 
sion of, and run the said road. On and after this date 
you will make all reports and remittances to James 
Fisk, Jr., and Charles Courter, Office of the Albany 
and Susquehanna Railroad. 

"James Fisk, Jr., 1 R^eivers " 
"Charles Courter, j receivers. 

Albany, August 6th, 1869. 



222 EARLY HISTORY. OF THE 

Another without date but received August 7th, 
1869, reads: 

" To the Officers and Employes of the Albany 
and Susquehanna Railroad Company. 
' '* Take Notice. — Robert H. Pruynwas first appoined 
receiver by Judge Peckham and has posseSvSion of the 
office, books and property of the Company. He has 
continued me as superintendent, and all transactions 
of the company must be with him, and my orders 



obeyed. 



J. W. Van Valkenburgh, 

" Superintendent. 



A message received from the treasurer's office at the 
time reads: 

"Albany, August 9th, 1869. 
"To all Agents of the A. & S. Railroad, 

"Make your money remittances and continue all 
your business transactions with me as usual. 

"W. L. M. Phelps, Treasurer." 

Copies of these documents are not given in any 
sense as personal reminiscences, but as showing the 
conflict of authority on the road at the time. Of 
course such a state of things could not long exist, 
without breeding bad blood and culminated in the 
Erie war. Baffled if not beaten in their legal maneuv- 
ering, the Erie party sought by force to get possession 
of the road, and with true military tact, chose Bingham- 
ton as the base of their operations. Here they were 
not only removed from the fiery J. W. Van Valken- 
burgh, and invulnerable R. C. Blackall, but were near 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 223 

their source of supplies, and in close communication 
with Judge Bernard, of New York. 

Thus under show of legal authority, not like Ethan 
Allen at Ticonderoga, "In the name of the Great Je- 
hovah and the Continental Congress," but in the 
name of Judge Bernard, of New York, in the month 
of August, in the year of our Ivord 1869, the Erie 
hosts swept down the western end of the line, intent 
upon taking possession of the road. O, then there 
was hurrying to and fro in the office at Albany. The 
eagle eye of Van Valkenburgh blazed with indigna- 
tion. Blackall, with short speech and quick command, 
ordered the engines fired up and forces aboard, and 
away flew the fiery iron horses for the point of attack. 
The writer of this history was one of the ''home 
guard" on this occasion, and so cannot speak of the 
military incidents from personal observation. The 
general nature of the times, can be judged by the 
communications given herewith. One directed to all 
agents under date of August loth, 1869, is as follows: 

"Have all the men you can find to the station, so as 
to defend your station and the road. 

"J. W. Van Valkenburgh, 

' 'Superintendent. ' ' 

Another under the same date reads: 

" Superintendent's Office, August 10, 1869. 
Train No. 7 will go through to the front. Have all 
the men you can get to go with it. Drum them up. 
J. W. Vanvalkenberg, Superintendent." 

From documents now in my possession I conclude 
that the " Erie war " reached its zenith on the nth 
day of August, 1869. I know that the proclamation 



224 EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

of Governor Hoofman, commanding the belligerent 
forces to lay down their arms and retire peacefully to 
their homes, was flashed over the wires about that 
time, and messages now before me lead me to believe 
it was on the evening of that day. The desperate 
condition of things that evening can be judged by 
message of R. C. Blackall commanding the forces of 
the Ramsey party. It is as follows : 

" Harpersville, August ii, 1869. 
To J. W. VanValkenberg, Supt. 

The Erie folks are preparing to move upon us. 
They have the militia with them encouraged by the 
sheriff. Our retreat is cut off. We must resort to 
desperation if they attack us today or tonight. What 
are we to do ? We must have reinforcements. Their 
force is estimated at 1500. Our forces are about 300. 
Send reinforcements immediately. I will burn the 
high bridge if they move on us tonight. We have 
scouting parties now watching them. J. M. Bailey 
will return soon. He is now out reconnoitering. 

R. C. B." 

This shows determination and desperation, but soon 
the scene changes, for under date of August nth, 
1869, 8:30 P. M., I hold a message which does not 
show to whom it was addressed, but it is one I took 
from the wires that night and my recollection is, it 
was addressed to R. C. Blackall and reads: "Gen'l 
James McQuade will leave here tonight to stop further 
disturbances. The governor has charge of the road, 
and orders from James McQuade must be obeyed and 
regarded. 

J. W. Van Valkenburgh, Sup't." 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 22 5 

Another reads: "Albany, August nth, 1869, 11:30 
P. M. Gen'l McQuade is superintendent of the A. 
& S. R. R., appointed by the governor of the State of 
New York. All orders by him will be obeyed until 
further orders. 

McQuade. vSuperintendent. 
J. W. Van, Acting Sup' t." 

With the road in the control of the State, the ques- 
tion of rival receiverships was settled, and shortly 
thereafter Robert ly. Banks, of Albany was appointed 
sole receiver by the governor, and I believe held that 
position until the decision of the courts in favor of the 
election of the Ramsey directors, and the re-instate- 
ment of Mr. Ramsey as president of the company. 
Robert 1,. Banks and General James McQuade were 
both courtly gentlemen, and I gratefully remember 
their kindness to me as their agent. One of the most 
pleasing episodes of the Erie war to the Ramsey party, 
was the capture at Bainbridge by R. C. Blackall and 
his men, of the Erie engine, which was moving down 
over the line with a force on board, turning out our 
operators, and installing theirs. 

Blackall had warning of their approach, and side 
tracking his engine, with the lights all turned out, he 
placed a pair of patent frogs, such as are used for re- 
placing cars on the track, reversed upon the rails over 
which the Erie engine had to pass. Then placing his 
men in ambush he patiently awaited the coming of 
the Erie party. Everything appearing secure, on they 
came, until they reached the frogs, when lo, and be- 
hold, their engine was soon on '* terra firma " instead 
of the iron rails, and became an easy prey to Mr. 
Blackall and party, and was confiscated as the " spoils 



226 EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

of war ' ' and for a time was run upon the road as 
such. Thirty-three years have passed since that 
night, but well do I remember the morning when that 
engine was run into Albany. By orders of the com- 
pany, I had been on duty all night, supported by John 
Dunn, then section foreman, and his men, with in- 
structions to ' ' hold the fort ' ' against the Erie raiders. 
About 5 A. M. I was awakened from my reverie, by 
the shrill blasts of a locomotive whistle near Rich- 
mondville station. Onward it came, *' nearer, clearer, 
deadlier than before," making the welkin ring, until 
the engine was stopped in the Cobleskill yard. Tired 
and sleepy from the night's vigils, I rubbed my eyes, 
and peering out of the window of the freight office 
beheld "Brie Engine," *' The Roswell McNeil." 
Surely, I said the enemy are upon us, but the second 
look revealed the form of burly " Abe" Ottman, one 
of the A. & S. conductors, and of Royal Cornwall, 
one of our early locomotive engineers. Royal Corn- 
wall has been dead many years. Ottman died but a 
few years ago, at the home of his son in New Jersey. 
John Dunn still lives at Green Island, N. Y., serving 
in the track department under Mike Dorsey. Among 
the " old timers " I have thus far failed to mention in 
the clerical department are ** Billy" Robinson in the 
return ticket department and E. R Willerton in the 
general passenger office. These persons have held 
their positions for very many years, and are among 
the company's most trusted servants. "Jimmy" 
Loughren, head clerk under Geo. W. Church, our first 
general freight agent, I have lost track of. 

Among the early freight handlers, I recall at Cen- 
tral Bridge, Charles Eldredge, Esq., now living at 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 22^ 

Sharon; Philip Dietz now in retirement at Central 
Bridge, and Geo. S. Lynes at that time a resident of 
Middleburgh, nor must I forget to mention * ' Yankee *' 
Sullivan who for a long time guided the freight truck 
at Richmondville, nor at Central Bridge, John F. 
Bradt, the father of *' Billy" Bradt, our popular pas- 
senger train conductor. 

With the road in the hands of the State, and the 
Erie warriors disbanded, neither party rested quietly 
on their oars, but were active in the purchase of the 
company's stock, preparatory to the holding of the 
annual election, on the yth day of September, 1869. 
By this time the strife to gain the ascendancy in the 
board of directors to be elected, had waxed to blood 
heat. 

Fisk with his army of heelers prepared with proxies 
to vote, came up the river from New York in a boat 
chartered for the purpose, and landing took posession 
of the room where the election was to be held. R. C. 
Blackall, then our master mechanic, with John ly. 
Cory his assistant, with men of ** broth and brawn " 
from the shops were on hand to see that there was 
"fair play " if any scrimmage occured. Superinten- 
dent J. W. Van Valkenburgh with flashing eyes and 
knit blow strode through the hall, a very king among 
men, ready for any honorable strategy, or even to fight 
for the good of the road if necessary. J. H. Ramsey, 
with his legal knowledge and tact, with the Hon. 
Henry Smith as counsellor, were thereto secure if pos- 
sible an honest election and a *' fair count." It is 
proper to say to the present generation, that one of 
the contending parties at this election was known as the 
Ramsey party; the other as the Gould and Fisk, or 



228 EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

Brie party. Now between them there was no more 
affinity than between oil and water, and the result 
was, that at this meeting each party organized, and 
elected a board of directors, each claiming to be duly 
and lawfully elected, and each claiming to be entitled 
to the control of the road, and out of this controversy 
grew the long legal trial at Rochester before Judge E. 
Darwin Smith in November of the same year, at which 
trial it was decided that the election of the Ramsey 
directors was legal, and that of the Gould and Fisk 
directors illegal and void. But I must close ; yet be- 
fore closing will digress and say that the Cherry Val- 
ley Sharon and Albany railroad Company was char- 
tered in i860. The road was completed and opened 
for business in June 1870. The master spirits in its 
construction were Dewit. C. Bates and James A. Young, 
of Cherry Valley. The principal if not the sole con- 
tractors for its construction were the Weed Bros. 
Thos. H. Giles, the father of Harry Giles, now fire- 
men on the engine running on that branch of the D. 
& H. Co., during itsf construction, was engineer and 
conductor combined, in charge of the work train. 
Here the name of Giles brings to my mind another 
" old timer " Gill Giles, now in charge of the D. & H. 
water supply. He was with the Susquehanna Com- 
pany from it's commencement, and has been with D. 
& H. Co., since the lease by them of the road, so that 
his doings have become a part of the history of the 
line. One more chapter in this hurried history and 
my work is done. Whilst the two parties which have 
been mentioned were struggling for the mastership, 
down among the coal fields of Pennsylvania, and in the 
marts of New York City, were men, not of the dash 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 229 

of James Fisk, Jr., nor the adroitness with which Jay 
Gould is always credited, but men, reserved, solid, 
cautious, diliberate, and far seeing; who were looking 
up through from Honesdale, and Carbondale lo 
Niueveh, thence down through the valley to Albany, 
away along the shores of the Champlain to Canada, 
and across New England to Boston; and they said, 
what an outlet for our coal. What an inlet for the 
iron ore up at Port Henry and Plattsburgh. Eureka, 
we have found it. Let us lease the Albany and Sus- 
quelianna Railroad for 99 years. Let us do so also 
with the Rensealear and Saratoga Railroad. Let us 
build a new road along the bank of the Champlain 
and instead of putting out our coal to market through 
the muddy vvatersof our canal, we will have a network 
of railways over which our black diamonds shall pour 
in incessant streams, and they did it. The Albany 
and Susquehanna Railroad was leased to the Dele- 
ware and Hudson Canal Company on the 24th day of 
February, 1870. The Rensealear and the Saratoga later. 
At this time Thos. Dixon was president of the D. & 
H. Co., and Coe F. Young its general manager. 
Who that ever saw these gentlemen at Cobleskill sta- 
tion, asking to have some trifling service rendered 
with the modesty of the most common patron, could 
fail to recognize the solid greatness of the men. Both 
have been gone from earth for many years, but their 
mantels have fallen upon worthy shoulders. Among 
the early conductors on the line who are living I recall 
the blue eyed pleasant Gunnison, now a resident of 
Bing^hamton, and W. E. Bartlett, now in the hardware 
business at Jefferson, Oaklahoma territory. D. S. 
Fero also remains with us living at Newburgh, N. Y. 



230 EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

Among the dead, the brusque but whole-souled 
McCormick, first baggagemaster, then conductor, 
whose light went out in Albany many years ago. The 
venerable H. P. Dorr, the sedate '* Ham" Evarts, the 
impassive, quiet, military Captain Merrehew, and 
"Billy" Gardner, whose smile faded from his face 
and blue eyes closed in death about fourteen years 
ago ; and now during the last summer the chivalrous 
and genial Coe F. Young, who went down to his grave 
lamented by all, and honored for his bravery and de- 
votion to his country during the war of the rebellion. 
I must bring this history to a close ; but there is a cla«s 
of men on all railroads who, in this article, have re- 
ceived but little notice. Men with soiled hands, be- 
grimed faces and dirty vests, but beneath whose rough 
exteriors there are warm hearts, loyal hands and heroic 
souls. I mean the locomotive engineers. 

Of those first upon the road I recall Charley Delany 
and Thos. Harden, whom I have mentioned as engineer 
in charge of the engine drawing the first regular train 
from Albany to Central Bridge. Next Wallace Blake 
I believe in charge of the engine hauling the construc- 
tion train when the road was being built through Cobles- 
kill, and I think in charge of the engine which brought 
the first passenger train to Cobleskill. Nor must I 
forget to mention engineer Frank Eaton. Coming 
early upon the road, if not among the first, he still 
handles the lever and ranks among the most trusted 
of the D. & H. Co.'s engineers, with headquarters at 
Sidney. Delany and Blake have been dead a score of 
years. The last I knew of Harden he had retired 
from railroading and settled upon a farm. lyikely he, 
too, ere this has passed on to join the great majority. 



ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD. 23 1 

" Charley " Jones, at one time our master mechanic, 
with headquarters at Oneonta, was also early on the 
road. It is only of recent date that he, too, passed 
on to the world immortal. No one who ever knew 
him will fail to bear testimony to his care and skill as 
an engineer, and his solid worth as a Christian gentle- 
man. And " Charley " Stickles too, he of long arms, 
ruddy but spare countenance and hawk eyes, with his 
tall form bent in the cab, neck and head extending 
forward, eye scanning the track with a keenness that 
would detect a fly upon the rails four rods ahead, who 
would have supposed that he would have run engine 
tender and baggage car all off the end of the rails of 
the siding at Cobleskill, yet he did it. I had relieved 
the switchman for the night, and promised to be on 
hand and change the switch, so as to let the train out 
of the yard in safety. At the time I was freight agent, 
ticket agent and telegraph operator, and in the rush 
of caers I forgot my promise to the switchman, and 
was therefore responsible for the accident. As the 
train pulled out I closed the ticket office window, and 
was crossing the yard to the freight office, when I 
heard the sharp, quick signal for " down brakes," and, 
glancing towards the train, saw what happened. Going 
down to the train I soon came face to face with the 
then superintendent, J. H. Fonda. With a squeaky, 
rasping voice, he demanded, *' Whose place was it to 
be here and turn this switch?" Without bravado, 
but with respectful firmness, I replied, ** It was mine, 
sir. I relieved the switchman, and agreed to be here 
and turn this switch myself." "You better quit 
railroading then " was his rejoinder; to which 1 an- 
swered, " That is for you to say, Mr. Fonda." As I 



232 EARLY HISTORY OF THE 

was not discharged, I concluded that, although irrita- 
ble and sometimes angry, Mr. Fonda had beneath his 
rough exterior a tender heart, and in that particular 
case appreciated truth-telling as compared to equivo- 
cation and falsehood. 

Of the later engineers comes the thought of poor 
S. G. Cook, killed by a collision on the road. Always 
affable and kind, notwithstanding the hardships and 
exposures of an engineer's life, I loved the man and 
revere his memory. And young "Jud"Mann, who 
lost his life in a similar manner when nearing Oneonta 
station. His literary tastes and affectionate nature 
made him a general favorite, and his sad death fell 
like a pall upon the hearts of all clavSses upon the road. 
There were doubtless many others in all departments 
of the road who deserve special mention, but they do 
not occur to me now. To one who, during a service of 
thirty-seven years on the road, received only kindness 
from these men and the officers of the old Susque- 
hanna Company and from its successor, the D. & H. 
Co., the friendship of the living is precious, and the 
memory of the dead rises up like the fragrance of 
crushed flowers. To the living I say, here is my heart 
and hand. Sad indeed will be the hour to me when 
the time of parting comes. 

'Tis hard to part when friends are dear, 

Perhaps 'twill cause a sigh or tear ; 

Then steal away, give not much warning, 

Say not "good night," but in some brighter world, 

Bid me, " Good morning," 

H. T. DANA, 

Cobleskill, N. Y. 
January 4, 1903. 



MAY 28 1903 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: Sept. 2009 

Preservationlechnologies 

A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 

111 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724)779-2111 



